Shloka 47

बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः

Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra

Devanagari script

ततो मृगमिवाकाशे यथा देव: पिनाकधृक्‌ । ससार त॑ं तथा वीरो विधिवद्‌ यज्ञियं हयम्‌

Transliteration

tato mṛgam ivākāśe yathā devaḥ pinākadhṛk | sasāra taṃ tathā vīro vidhivad yajñiyaṃ hayam ||

Translation

Rồi, như vị thần cầm cung Pināka (Śiva) từng lao vút giữa trời đuổi theo một con nai, Arjuna—bậc anh hùng—cũng theo đúng nghi lễ và phép tắc mà truy theo con ngựa tế ấy.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• मृगम्: deer
• मृगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• देवः: the god (Mahadeva)
• देवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पिनाकधृक्: bearing Pinaka (Shiva)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिनाकधृक्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ससार: ran, rushed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृ
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: so, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule, duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• यज्ञियम्: sacrificial, pertaining to the sacrifice
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हयम्: horse
• हयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śiva (Pinākadhṛk)
• Arjuna
• yajñiya aśva (sacrificial horse)
• ākāśa (sky)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined adherence to dharma: even a heroic pursuit is framed as vidhivat—performed under prescribed norms—because the horse is consecrated to a yajña. Power is legitimized by restraint and ritual duty rather than personal impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Arjuna setting out to follow the Aśvamedha horse. His swift pursuit is compared to Śiva (Pinākadhṛk) chasing a deer through the sky, highlighting Arjuna’s speed and resolve in fulfilling the sacrificial mission.