Shloka 116

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

शरस्फुलिड्ो भीष्मानिनेर्ददाह क्षत्रियर्षभान्‌ रथ ही उनके लिये अग्निशालाके समान था

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śara-sphuliṅgo bhīṣmāgnir dadāha kṣatriyarṣabhān | rathaḥ hi teṣāṃ agni-śalākā-samo 'bhavat, dhanuḥ jvālā-samo dīpyate sma | khaḍga-śakti-gadādayaś ca astrāṇi-śastrāṇi samidhā-kāryaṃ kurvanti sma | bāṇāḥ sphuliṅgā iva | evaṃ bhīṣma-rūpo 'gnis tatra kṣatriya-śiromaṇīn dagdhuṃ pravavṛte ||

Translation

قال سانجيا: إن بهيشما، كالنار المتأججة، شرع يحرق خيرة الكشاتريا. بدت مركباتهم كالجذوات، وكان قوسه يلمع كلسان اللهب. وصارت السيوف والرماح والهراوات وسائر الأسلحة وقودًا، وانطلقت سهامه كالشرر. وهكذا أخذت نارُ بهيشما تلتهم على ذلك الميدان جواهرَ تاج طبقة المحاربين.

Word by Word

• शर: arrows
• शर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्फुलिङ्गाः: sparks
• स्फुलिङ्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फुलिङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भीष्म: Bhishma
• भीष्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• ददाह: burned/consumed
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षत्रिय: kshatriyas
• क्षत्रिय: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ऋषभान्: bulls/chiefs (best ones)
• ऋषभान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• kṣatriyas (warriors)
• chariot (ratha)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• sword (khaḍga)
• spear/javelin (śakti)
• mace (gadā)
• arrows (śara/bāṇa)
• fire (agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the fire-metaphor to show how kṣatriya-dharma in war can manifest as overwhelming, impersonal destruction: weapons become 'fuel' and arrows become 'sparks.' It invites reflection on the ethical weight of martial duty—valor and skill may be righteous within one’s role, yet they still produce suffering and irreversible consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīṣma’s fierce onslaught in battle. Bhīṣma is portrayed as a consuming fire: chariots appear like firebrands, his bow like flames, weapons like kindling, and arrows like sparks, as he strikes down the foremost warriors on the field.