Shloka 30

प्राग्ज्योतिषे वज्रदत्त-धनंजय-समागमः

Vajradatta Confronts Dhanaṃjaya at Prāgjyotiṣa

Devanagari script

तान्‌ सम्प्रभग्नान्‌ सम्प्रेक्ष्य त्वरमाणो धनंजय: । शरैराशीविषाकारैर्जघान स्वनवद्धसन्‌

Transliteration

tān samprabhagnān samprekṣya tvaramāṇo dhanañjayaḥ | śarair āśīviṣākārair jaghāna svanavaddhasan ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: Vendo-os em debandada e em plena fuga, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) avançou com presteza e os abateu com flechas em forma de serpentes venenosas, rindo alto enquanto lutava.

Word by Word

• तान्: those (men)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्प्रभग्नान्: utterly broken/routed
• सम्प्रभग्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-√भञ्ज (भग्न)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-√ईक्ष्
• Form: Absolutive (त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• त्वरमाणः: hastening
• त्वरमाणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √त्वर्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आशीविषाकारैः: having the form of venomous snakes
• आशीविषाकारैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविषाकार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• जघान: struck/killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्वनवद्धसन्: laughing loudly (lit. with own/new loud laughter)
• स्वनवद्धसन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-नव-द्धसत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• śara (arrows)
• āśīviṣa (venomous serpent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic: when an army loses cohesion and flees, the opposing warrior may press the advantage decisively. It also points to the moral gravity of war—panic and collapse magnify suffering, and victory often comes through relentless follow-through rather than mere initial strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna sees the opposing fighters already broken and running. He hastens forward and shoots them down with serpent-shaped arrows, laughing loudly as he attacks, emphasizing the rout and Arjuna’s overpowering momentum.