Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 31

Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 77 — Saindhava resistance, Arjuna’s restraint, and Duḥśalā’s supplication

तदिन्द्रजालप्रतिमं बाणजालममित्रहा । विसृज्य दिक्षु सर्वासु महेन्द्र इव वज्रभूत्‌,शत्रुसूदन अर्जुनने वज्रधारी महेन्द्रकी भाँति सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंसे इन्द्रजालके समान बाणोंका जाल-सा फैला दिया

tad indrajāla-pratimaṃ bāṇa-jālam amitrahā | visṛjya dikṣu sarvāsu mahendra iva vajrabhūt śatru-sūdanaḥ arjunaḥ ||

پھر دشمن کش ارجن نے وجر دھاری مہندر کی مانند، اندرجال کے سے تیروں کا جال تمام سمتوں میں پھیلا دیا۔

तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इन्द्रजाल-प्रतिमम्resembling Indra's net/illusion
इन्द्रजाल-प्रतिमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootइन्द्रजालप्रतिम
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
बाण-जालम्a net/array of arrows
बाण-जालम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबाणजाल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अमित्रहाslayer of foes
अमित्रहा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअमित्रहन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विसृज्यhaving released/spread
विसृज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootवि√सृज्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
दिक्षुin the directions
दिक्षु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदिश्
FormFeminine, Locative, Plural
सर्वासुin all
सर्वासु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormFeminine, Locative, Plural
महेन्द्रःthe great Indra
महेन्द्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
वज्र-भूत्become like a thunderbolt
वज्र-भूत्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवज्रभूत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, भूत (past passive participle of √भू used adjectivally)

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśaṃpāyana
A
Arjuna
M
Mahendra (Indra)
V
vajra (thunderbolt)
I
indrajāla (Indra’s illusion)
B
bāṇa-jāla (net of arrows)
T
the directions (dik)

Educational Q&A

Power and skill, when aligned with a righteous objective in warfare, should be exercised with control and precision. The comparison to Indra’s indrajāla and vajra highlights disciplined mastery—overwhelming force used strategically rather than recklessly.

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Arjuna unleashing a dense, all-directional volley—an arrow-net—likened to Indra’s magical display and thunderbolt, indicating a decisive tactical move to dominate the battlefield and crush opposition.