Shloka 35

Devanagari script

अभिपेतू रणे पार्थ पतज्रा इव पावकम्‌ | वे विदेह

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | abhipetū raṇe pārtha pataṅgā iva pāvakam | videha-kaliṅga-dāseraka-niṣāda-sauvīra-bāhlīka-darada-pratīcya-udīcya-mālava-abhīṣāha-śūrasena-śibi-vasāti-śālva-śaka-trigarta-ambaṣṭha-kekayadeśeṣu nṛpāḥ tasmin mahāyuddhe kuntīkumarārjunam abhyadravan yathā śalabhāḥ pradīptaṃ vahnim | śalabhā iva rājendra pārtham apratimaṃ raṇe | etān sarvān sahānīkān mahārāja mahārathān ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସେହି ରଣରେ ସେମାନେ ଅର୍ଜୁନଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଏମିତି ଧାଇଁ ପଡ଼ିଲେ, ଯେପରି ଶଲଭ ଜ୍ୱଳନ୍ତ ଅଗ୍ନିରେ ପତିତ ହୁଏ। ବିଦେହ, କଲିଙ୍ଗ, ଦାସେରକ, ନିଷାଦ, ସୌବୀର, ବାହ୍ଲୀକ, ଦରଦ, ପଶ୍ଚିମ ଓ ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଶ, ମାଳବ, ଅଭୀଷାହ, ଶୂରସେନ, ଶିବି, ବସାତି, ଶାଲ୍ୱ, ଶକ, ତ୍ରିଗର୍ତ, ଅମ୍ବଷ୍ଠ ଓ କେକୟଦେଶର ନରେଶମାନେ ନିଜ ନିଜ ସେନାବିଭାଗ ଓ ମହାରଥୀମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ମହାଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ କୁନ୍ତୀପୁତ୍ର ଧନଞ୍ଜୟଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଯେନ ନିଜ ବିନାଶକୁ ଆକର୍ଷିତ ହୋଇ ଧାଇଁ ଆସିଲେ।

Word by Word

• शलभाः: moths/locusts
• शलभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शलभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पार्थम्: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अप्रतिमम्: incomparable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रतिम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• अनीकान्: armies/divisions
• अनीकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Pārtha
• Kuntī
• Videha
• Kaliṅga
• Dāseraka
• Niṣāda
• Sauvīra
• Bāhlīka
• Darada
• Pratīcya (western regions)
• Udīcya (northern regions)
• Mālava
• Abhīṣāha
• Śūrasena
• Śibi
• Vasāti
• Śālva
• Śaka
• Trigarta
• Ambaṣṭha
• Kekaya
• fire (pāvaka/vahni)
• moths/insects (pataṅga/śalabha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the moth-to-flame image to show how, in war, collective passion and pride can override discernment: courage without wise judgment becomes self-destructive, and mass aggression may rush toward an inevitable defeat when directed against a superior warrior.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that many regional kings and their forces, along with great chariot-warriors, simultaneously charge Arjuna in the great battle, likening their assault to moths plunging into a blazing fire—suggesting both the intensity of the attack and the peril of confronting Arjuna.