Shloka 23

Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः

Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter

Devanagari script

अथार्जुनं स्वे परिवार्य सैनिका: पुरन्दरं देवगणा इवाब्रुवन्‌ अभैष्म यस्मान्मरणादिदव प्रजा: स वीर दिष्टया निहतस्त्वया रिपु:

Transliteration

athārjunaṃ sve parivārya sainikāḥ purandaraṃ devagaṇā ivābruvan | abhaiṣma yasmān maraṇād iva prajāḥ sa vīra diṣṭyā nihatastvayā ripuḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：随后，自军将士围拢阿周那，言辞宛如诸天环侍破城者（普兰达罗，即因陀罗）：“勇士啊！我们所畏惧的那名敌人——正如百姓畏惧死亡——竟蒙福运，被你所诛。”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna (as object)
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वे: in/among their own
• स्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• परिवार्य: having surrounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृणोति/वर्तते)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• सैनिकाः: soldiers
• सैनिकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैनिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुरन्दरम्: Purandara (Indra)
• पुरन्दरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरन्दर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• देवगणाः: groups of gods
• देवगणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवगण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अभैष्म: we feared
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भी
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 1st, Plural, Parasmaipada

• यस्मात्: from whom/whom (because of whom)
• यस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• मरणात्: from death
• मरणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• इव: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• प्रजाः: people/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

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

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दिष्ट्या: by good fortune / fortunately
• दिष्ट्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• निहतः: slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√हन्
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• रिपुः: the enemy
• रिपुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Purandara (Indra)
• Devagaṇa (hosts of gods)
• Sainikāḥ (soldiers)
• Ripu (enemy)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical-emotional dimension of battle: when a community is threatened by a formidable aggressor, the warrior who removes that danger is praised not merely for strength but for restoring collective security. The comparison to subjects fearing death underscores how fear can dominate a group, and how decisive action can relieve it.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a significant enemy has been slain by Arjuna, his own side’s soldiers gather around him and congratulate him. They liken themselves to the gods surrounding Indra, and declare that the foe they dreaded as people dread death has now been killed by Arjuna, which they call a matter of great good fortune.