Shloka 37

Ulūpī–Citravāhinī Saṃvāda: Dhanaṃjaya-patana and Prāya-threat

Devanagari script

पूर्वमेव स बाणौघचैर्गाढविद्धो<र्जुनेन ह पपात सो5पि धरणीमालिड्ग्य रणमूर्थनि

Transliteration

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | pūrvam eva sa bāṇaughaiḥ gāḍha-viddho 'rjunena ha papāta so 'pi dharaṇīm āliṅgya raṇa-mūrdhani |

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：他早先便已被阿周那密集的箭矢深深贯穿。因此他也在战阵最前沿倒下，昏厥坠地，抱住大地——既为创伤所困，又为目睹父亲被杀的震骇所压倒。

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: previously, beforehand
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

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

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

• बाणौघैः: by torrents/volleys of arrows
• बाणौघैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणौघ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• गाढविद्धः: deeply pierced
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाढ-विद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुनेन: by Arjuna
• अर्जुनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ह: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

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

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

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• धरणीम्: the earth, ground
• धरणीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आलिङ्ग्य: having embraced/clasped
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लिङ्ग्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• रणमूर्धनि: on the battlefield/front of battle
• रणमूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रणमूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Arjuna
• Babhruvāhana
• the father (implied: Arjuna as father in this episode)
• earth (dharaṇī)
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the heavy ethical and emotional cost of warfare: even rightful valor can culminate in collapse and grief, and family bonds intensify the suffering produced by violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being badly wounded by Arjuna’s volleys, the warrior (contextually Babhruvāhana) loses consciousness at the battle-front and falls to the ground, overwhelmed—especially upon seeing his father struck down.