Shloka 29

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

Devanagari script

को<न्य: शक्तो रणे जेतुमृते पार्थाद्‌ युधिष्ठिरात्‌ । यस्य नाथो हृषीकेश: सदा सत्ययशोनिधि:

Transliteration

ko 'nyaḥ śakto raṇe jetum ṛte pārthād yudhiṣṭhirāt | yasya nātho hṛṣīkeśaḥ sadā satyayaśonidhiḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ପାର୍ଥ ଅର୍ଜୁନ ଓ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିରଙ୍କୁ ଛାଡ଼ି ରଣରେ ଜିତିବାକୁ ଆଉ କିଏ ସମର୍ଥ? ଯାହାଙ୍କର ନାଥ ଓ ରକ୍ଷକ ହୃଷୀକେଶ ଶ୍ରୀକୃଷ୍ଣ—ସଦା ସତ୍ୟ ଓ ଯଶର ନିଧି।

Word by Word

कःwho

अन्यःother

शक्तःable, capable

रणेin battle

जेतुम्to conquer

ऋतेexcept, without

पार्थात्from/except Partha (Arjuna)

युधिष्ठिरात्from/except Yudhishthira

यस्यwhose

नाथःprotector, lord

हृषीकेशःHrishikesha (Krishna)

सदाalways

सत्ययशोनिधिःtreasury of true fame

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Arjuna (Pārtha)

Yudhiṣṭhira

Kṛṣṇa (Hṛṣīkeśa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Victory is portrayed as grounded in dharma and right guidance: when Kṛṣṇa—described as a constant repository of truth and honorable fame—is the protector, the righteous side gains an ethical and spiritual strength beyond mere weapon-skill.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya, narrating the war to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizes the exceptional battle-winning capacity of the Pāṇḍavas—specifically Arjuna and Yudhiṣṭhira—because Kṛṣṇa (Hṛṣīkeśa) stands as their lord and refuge.