Shloka 57

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं सहसा महेन्द्रगजसंनि भम्‌ । परं यत्नं समास्थाय बीभत्सु: प्रत्यपद्यत,देवराज इन्द्रके ऐरावत हाथीके समान उस गजराजको सहसा आते देख अर्जुनने बड़ा यत्न करके उसका सामना किया

Transliteration

tam āpatantaṃ sahasā mahendragaja-sannibham | paraṃ yatnaṃ samāsthāya bībhatsuḥ pratyapadyata ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：见那象王骤然奔突而来，宛如天帝因陀罗之大象，阿周那（毗婆蹉）竭尽全力，收摄心神，稳立不退，迎击那迎面而至的冲击。

Word by Word

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

• आपतन्तम्: rushing/falling upon (approaching rapidly)
• आपतन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत् उपसर्ग: आ)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• महेन्द्रगजसन्निभम्: resembling Indra's elephant (Airavata-like)
• महेन्द्रगजसन्निभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेन्द्रगज-सन्निभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: great, utmost
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समास्थाय: having undertaken/assuming
• समास्थाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: समास्था (धातु: स्था उपसर्ग: सम्-आ)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage as gerund)

• बीभत्सुः: Bibhatsu (Arjuna)
• बीभत्सुः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper epithet)
• Root: बीभत्सु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यपद्यत: met, confronted, opposed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आपद् (धातु: पद्/आपद् उपसर्ग: प्रति)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Arjuna (Bībhatsu)
• Indra (Mahendra/Devarāja)
• Airāvata (implied by 'mahendragaja')
• a mighty elephant-like warrior/elephant (the charging 'gajarāja')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores disciplined bravery: when faced with overwhelming force, a warrior aligned with duty steadies himself, gathers his best effort, and responds with controlled resolve rather than fear or rashness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a powerful, elephant-like onrush (likened to Indra’s elephant). Arjuna, called Bībhatsu, braces himself with utmost effort and confronts the charge head-on.