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Shloka 21

मौसलपर्व — अध्याय ८

Arjuna’s evacuation of Dvārakā, Vasudeva’s rites, and the caravan’s crisis

प्रदहन्‌ रिपुसैन्यानि न पश्याम्यहमच्युतम्‌ । जिनका स्वरूप अप्रमेय है, जो शंख, चक्र और गदा धारण करनेवाले, चतुर्भुज, पीताम्बरधारी, श्यामसुन्दर तथा कमलदलके समान विशाल नेत्रोंवाले हैं, जो महातेजस्वी प्रभु शत्रुओंकी सेनाओंको भस्म करते हुए मेरे रथके आगे-आगे चलते थे, उन्हीं भगवान्‌ अच्युतको अब मैं नहीं देख पाता हूँ || १९-२० ई || येन पूर्व प्रदग्धानि शत्रुसैन्यानि तेजसा,साधुशिरोमणे! जो पहले स्वयं ही अपने तेजसे शत्रुसेनाओंको दग्ध कर देते थे, उसके बाद मैं गाण्डीव धनुषसे छूटे हुए बाणोंद्वारा उन शत्रुओंका नाश करता था, उन्हीं भगवान्‌को आज न देखनेके कारण मैं विषादमें डूबा हुआ हूँ। मुझे चक्‍्कर-सा आ रहा है

pradahan ripusainyāni na paśyāmy aham acyutam |

当敌军正被烈焰吞噬之时,我却再也看不见阿周陀(Acyuta)了。他形相无量,执螺、轮与杵;四臂;身披黄衣;肤色幽暗而俊美;目如莲瓣;并以神圣光辉炽然照耀——昔日他常行于我战车之前,将敌军焚为灰烬。如今我不见那位主宰;失其临在,我沉入悲恸与眩晕,因为唯凭他的威力,胜利才成为可能,我的箭矢才得以命中。

प्रदहन्burning, scorching
प्रदहन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-दह्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
रिपु-सैन्यानिenemy armies
रिपु-सैन्यानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरिपु + सैन्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पश्यामिI see
पश्यामि:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
FormPresent (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अच्युतम्Achyuta (Krishna)
अच्युतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअच्युत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
येनby whom
येन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
पूर्वम्formerly, earlier
पूर्वम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व
प्रदग्धानिburnt, scorched
प्रदग्धानि:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-दह्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural
शत्रु-सैन्यानिenemy armies
शत्रु-सैन्यानि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशत्रु + सैन्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
तेजसाby (his) splendor/power
तेजसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतेजस्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular

अर्जुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
A
Acyuta (Krishna)
E
enemy armies (ripu-sainyāni)
C
chariot (ratha, implied by context)
G
Gāṇḍīva bow (contextual in the given passage)
C
conch (śaṅkha, contextual)
D
discus (cakra, contextual)
M
mace (gadā, contextual)
Y
yellow garment (pītāmbara, contextual)

Educational Q&A

The passage underscores how human prowess in war is ultimately contingent upon divine support and moral order: Arjuna recognizes that his success depended on the Lord’s presence and power. When that sustaining presence is withdrawn, confidence collapses into grief and confusion—highlighting humility, dependence on grace, and the fragility of worldly strength.

In the Mausala Parva’s aftermath, Arjuna recalls how Kṛṣṇa (Acyuta) once went before his chariot, blazing with divine splendor and destroying enemy forces. Now, unable to see Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is overwhelmed by sorrow and dizziness, lamenting the loss of the Lord whose power had enabled victory.