Shloka 33

Adhyāya 107 — बहुयुद्धप्रकरणम्

Multiple Defensive Engagements to Protect Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं सहसा मृत्युकल्पां सुदुर्जयाम्‌ । व्यंसयामास वार्ष्णेयो लाघवेन महायशा:

Transliteration

tām āpatantīṃ sahasā mṛtyukalpāṃ sudurjayām | vyaṃsayām āsa vārṣṇeyo lāghavena mahāyaśāḥ || vārṣṇeyas tu tato rājan svāṃ śaktiṃ kanakaprabhām | vegavad gṛhya cikṣepa pitāmaharathaṃ prati ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：那兵器骤然冲来，凶怖如死神，似乎不可抵挡；名声显赫的瓦尔什涅耶（萨提亚基）以敏捷身手迅速将其击偏。随后，王啊，瓦尔什涅耶执起自己那金辉灿然的神枪，以大力直掷向祖父（毗湿摩）的战车。

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आपतन्तीम्: falling/charging (towards)
• आपतन्तीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपत् (धातु) → आपतन्ती (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• मृत्युकल्पाम्: death-like
• मृत्युकल्पाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सुदुर्जयाम्: very hard to conquer
• सुदुर्जयाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुर्जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यंसयामास: destroyed/smashed
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यंस्/व्यम्स् (धातु) (अर्थे: नाश/विध्वंस) → व्यंसयामास
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic Perfect), 3rd, Singular

• वार्ष्णेयः: the Vrishni hero (Sātyaki)
• वार्ष्णेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लाघवेन: with agility/lightness
• लाघवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• महायशाः: the greatly renowned
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वार्ष्णेयः: the Vrishni hero (Sātyaki)
• वार्ष्णेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• स्वाम्: his own
• स्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शक्तिम्: spear/javelin (weapon)
• शक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कनकप्रभाम्: golden-lustrous
• कनकप्रभाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनक + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वेगवत्: swiftly/with force
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वेगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)

• गृह्य: having taken
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृह्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्यय-कृदन्त)

• चिक्षेप: threw
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) → चिक्षेप
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• पितामह-रथम्: the grandsire's chariot (Bhīṣma's chariot)
• पितामह-रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Vārṣṇeya (Sātyaki)
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• Bhīṣma’s chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: presence of mind under mortal threat, disciplined agility (lāghava), and decisive action. Ethically, it portrays valor and duty in battle without moralizing—showing how warriors respond to lethal danger with skill and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sātyaki (called Vārṣṇeya) first deflects a deadly incoming weapon. Immediately afterward, he takes up his own golden-bright spear (śakti) and hurls it at Bhīṣma’s chariot, escalating the exchange in the Kurukṣetra battle.