Shloka 17

वज्रदत्तेन सह अर्जुनयुद्धम्

Arjuna’s engagement with Vajradatta during the Aśvamedha circuit

Devanagari script

स तैर्विद्धो महातेजा वज्दत्तो महामृधे । भृशाहत: पपातोर्व्या न त्वेममजहात्‌ स्मृति:

Transliteration

sa tair viddho mahātejā vajradatto mahāmṛdhe | bhṛśāhataḥ papātorvyā na tv enam ajahāt smṛtiḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：在这场大战中被那些箭矢射中后，光辉夺目的金刚达多虽受重创，仍从坐骑上坠落于地。然而他的神智并未离散；他并未昏迷，在战争的震荡中仍紧守清明。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तैः: by those (arrows)
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विद्धः: pierced, struck
• Type: Participle
• Root: विद् (वेधने)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• महातेजाः: the very radiant one
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वज्रदत्तः: Vajradata (name)
• वज्रदत्तः: Karta
• Type: ProperNoun
• Root: वज्रदत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महामृधे: in the great battle
• महामृधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामृध्/महामृध (मृध् = battle; here as noun मृध्/मृधा)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• भृशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• आहतः: struck, wounded
• Type: Participle
• Root: आ-हन् (हिंसायाम्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• पपात: fell
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उर्व्याम्: on the earth
• उर्व्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

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

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अजहात्: did not abandon/lose
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (त्यागे) with prefix अ- (negation) in form of जहात्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्मृतिः: consciousness, memory
• स्मृतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्म: indeed (past-emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vajradatta
• arrows (śara)
• earth/ground (urvī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid extreme violence and injury, the verse highlights steadiness of mind (smṛti) as a mark of heroic discipline—endurance without losing awareness, a valued trait in kṣatriya ethics.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the course of a major battle, Vajradatta is pierced by arrows and falls to the ground, yet he does not faint; he retains consciousness and composure despite being badly wounded.