Shloka 36

Duryodhana-śibira-praveśaḥ — The Pāṇḍavas Enter the Kaurava Camp; The Burning of Arjuna’s Chariot

Devanagari script

व्यंसनेनाश्वसेनस्य पन्नगेन्द्रस्थ वै पुन: । पुनश्न पतिते चक्रे व्यसनार्त: पराजित:

Transliteration

vyaṁsanenāśvasenasya pannagendrāstha vai punaḥ | punaś ca patite cakre vyasanārtaḥ parājitaḥ ||

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: Muli, nang si Aśvasena—na nakasakay sa hari ng mga ahas—ay muling napabagsak, at nang ang diskong sandata (cakra) ay muling nalaglag, siya’y nilamon ng kapahamakan at tumindig na talunan.

Word by Word

• व्यसनेन: by/through misfortune, calamity
• व्यसनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अश्वसेनस्य: of Aśvasena
• अश्वसेनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वसेन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पन्नगेन्द्रस्थः: standing/being on the lord of serpents (i.e., on the serpent-king)
• पन्नगेन्द्रस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पन्नगेन्द्रस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पतिते: when (it) had fallen; in the fallen (state)
• पतिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• चक्रे: in/when the discus (wheel) (was)
• चक्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• व्यसनार्तः: distressed by calamity
• व्यसनार्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यसनार्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पराजितः: defeated, overcome
• पराजितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvasena
• Pannagendra (serpent-king)
• Cakra (discus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of martial power: when one’s supports (mount, allies) and instruments (weapons) fail—especially repeatedly—confidence and capacity collapse. It points to the ethical realism of the epic: valor alone does not guarantee success; conditions, fortune, and prior causes (karma) also shape outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Aśvasena, riding upon the serpent-king, suffers another setback; simultaneously the discus (cakra) falls again. Struck by this repeated misfortune, Aśvasena becomes distressed and is described as defeated.