Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तस्या: शरेण तीक्ष्णेन पृथुधारेण पाण्डव: । शिरक्षिच्छेद गच्छन्त्यास्तामपश्यच्छचीपति:

Transliteration

tasyāḥ śareṇa tīkṣṇena pṛthudhāreṇa pāṇḍavaḥ | śiraś ciccheda gacchantyās tām apaśyac chacīpatiḥ ||

Translation

वैशम्पायन उवाच— तस्याः शरेण तीक्ष्णेन पृथुधारेण पाण्डवः। शिरश्छिच्छेद गच्छन्त्यास्तामपश्यच्छचीपतिः॥

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• शरेण: with an arrow
• शरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तीक्ष्णेन: sharp
• तीक्ष्णेन: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पृथुधारेण: having a broad edge
• पृथुधारेण: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथुधार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चिच्छेद: cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गच्छन्त्याः: of (her) going / while (she) was going
• गच्छन्त्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्यत्: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शचीपतिः: Indra (lord of Śacī)
• शचीपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शचीपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)
• serpent-woman (nāgī/sarpinī)
• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śacī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights decisive action in the face of immediate threat and the idea that deeds occur under a moral universe where even gods may witness and respond—implying accountability and consequences (karma) for violent acts, even when performed as protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

A serpent-woman is fleeing; Arjuna (the Pāṇḍava) shoots a sharp, broad-bladed arrow and severs her head. Indra (Śacī’s husband) sees this event directly.