Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, Shloka 166

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६६: तुमुलसंग्रामवर्णनम्

The Tumult of Battle Described

Devanagari script

अदृश्यत महारीौद्रा गदा नागाश्चव॒पातनी । हाथियों और घोड़ोंको मार गिरानेवाली उनकी वह गदा भी मज्जा, वसा, मांस तथा रक्तमें सनकर बड़ी भयानक दिखायी देती थी

Transliteration

adṛśyata mahāraudrā gadā nāgāś ca vapātanī |

Translation

قال سانجيا: لقد بدت تلك الهراوة مروِّعةً غايةَ الرهبة—سلاحًا يقدر أن يُسقط حتى الفيلة. وقد تلطّخت بالنخاع والشحم واللحم والدم، فغدت منظَرًا مفزعًا، تُجسِّد اندفاع المعركة الوحشي الذي يجرّد الإنسان من إنسانيته، وتُبرز الثقل الأخلاقي الذي يحمله من يَقبِض على مثل هذه القوّة.

Word by Word

• अदृश्यत: was seen; appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Ātmanepada, Ātmanepada

• महा: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• रौद्रा: terrible, fierce
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नागान्: elephants
• नागान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अश्व: horses
• अश्व: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अवपातनी: causing to fall down; felling
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवपातनी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• gadā (mace)
• nāga (elephant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the terrifying reality of war: weapons become symbols of moral burden as they are stained with the bodily remains of the slain. It implicitly invites reflection on kṣatriya-duty versus the ethical cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a vivid battlefield sight: a fearsome mace capable of felling elephants, now smeared with marrow, fat, flesh, and blood, appearing especially dreadful amid the carnage.