Shloka 92

स च सर्पमुखो दिव्यो महेषुप्रवरस्तदा । व्यर्थ: कथं समभवत्‌ तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय

sa ca sarpamukho divyo maheṣupravaraḥ tadā | vyarthaḥ kathaṁ samabhavat tan mamācakṣva sañjaya ||

Вайшампаяна сказал: «И как в тот миг тот божественный “змееликий” снаряд — лучший среди великих стрел — оказался тщетным? Скажи мне, Санджая. Когда герой-пандав, могучий колесничий-ратник, двинулся вперед, сам изливая дождь стрел, словно тучи, полные воды, по какой причине потерпело неудачу это высшее оружие?»

सःhe/that (arrow)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सर्पमुखःsnake-faced (named arrow)
सर्पमुखः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्पमुख
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दिव्यःdivine
दिव्यः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदिव्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महा-इषु-प्रवरःthe best among great arrows
महा-इषु-प्रवरः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहेषुप्रवर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तदाthen/at that time
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
व्यर्थःfutile/ineffective
व्यर्थः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootव्यर्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कथम्how
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
समभवत्became/turned out
समभवत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormAorist (Luṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तत्that (fact/thing)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ममto me/of me
मम:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular, 1st
आचक्ष्वtell/declare
आचक्ष्व:
TypeVerb
Rootचक्ष्
FormImperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada
संजयO Sañjaya
संजय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun (proper name)
Rootसंजय
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
संजयO Sañjaya
संजय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun (proper name)
Rootसंजय
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
S
Sañjaya
P
Pāṇḍava (unspecified warrior)
S
Sarpamukha (divine serpent-faced arrow/missile)

Educational Q&A

Even the most formidable divine weapon can become ineffective when opposed by superior prowess, protective merit, or the larger movement of destiny; the epic repeatedly suggests that power alone does not guarantee success.

Vaiśampāyana asks Sañjaya to explain why the celebrated divine serpent-faced missile, regarded as the best among great arrows, failed at the moment when a Pāṇḍava warrior advanced while showering arrows like rain-clouds.