Shloka 43

Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

तमापततन्तं वेगेन शक्राशनिसमझ्युतिम्‌ । द्विधा चिच्छेद संक्रुद्धो द्रोणि: परमकोपन:

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṁ vegena śakrāśani-samadyutim | dvidhā ciccheda saṁkruddho droṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：见那飞矢挟疾风而来，光焰如因陀罗之金刚雷霆，德罗纳之子（阿湿婆他摩）怒不可遏，猛然将其斩为两段。

Word by Word

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

• आपतन्तम्: falling/charging (towards)
• आपतन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत् with उपसर्ग आ)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शक्राशनि-सम-द्युतिम्: having splendor like Indra's thunderbolt
• शक्राशनि-सम-द्युतिम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्राशनि-सम-द्युति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्विधा: into two (parts)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा

• चिच्छेद: cut/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संक्रुद्धः: enraged
• संक्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्रुद्ध
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रोणिः: Drona's son (Ashvatthama)
• द्रोणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणि (अश्वत्थामा)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परम-कोपनः: extremely wrathful
• परम-कोपनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमकोपन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāmā (Droṇi)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Indra’s thunderbolt (Vajra/Āśani)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how martial excellence can be intensified by anger: swift, decisive action may succeed tactically, yet it also shows the ethical danger of wrath dominating judgment in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

A blazing, fast-approaching missile likened to Indra’s thunderbolt comes toward Aśvatthāmā; in fury he counters it by cutting it into two mid-flight.