Shloka 96

Devanagari script

उत्पपात महावेग: कक्ष्यामभ्याहनत्तदा । नखैश्न दशनैश्वनैव गरुड: पन्नगं यथा

Transliteration

utpapāta mahāvegaḥ kakṣyām abhyāhanat tadā | nakhaiś ca daśanaiś caiva garuḍaḥ pannagaṃ yathā

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi với tốc lực ghê gớm, nó bật vọt lên, đánh thốc vào ngang lưng, cào xé bằng móng và răng—như Garuḍa chộp lấy rồi xé nát một con rắn. Hình ảnh ấy nhấn mạnh sự hung bạo của chiến tranh: sức mạnh và kỹ nghệ không dùng để kiềm chế hay hòa giải, mà để áp đảo kẻ thù bằng uy lực của loài săn mồi.

Word by Word

• उत्पपात: leapt up / sprang
• उत्पपात: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्√पत्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• महावेगः: one of great speed/force
• महावेगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावेग
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• कक्ष्याम्: the flank/side (waist-region)
• कक्ष्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्षा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• अभ्याहनत्: struck/smote
• अभ्याहनत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आ-√हन्
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• नखैः: with (his) claws
• नखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

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

• दशनैः: with (his) teeth
• दशनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• गरुडः: Garuda
• गरुडः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पन्नगम्: a serpent
• पन्नगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• यथा: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Garuḍa
• Pannaga (serpent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse does not offer a direct moral injunction; instead it uses a vivid simile to highlight how, in war, human action can become predatory and relentless. Ethically, it invites reflection on how conflict strips away gentler restraints and turns prowess into sheer domination.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant suddenly leaping with great speed and striking the opponent at the waist/flank, attacking with nails and teeth. The assault is compared to Garuḍa overpowering a serpent, emphasizing decisive, crushing aggression in close combat.