Shloka 53

अलायुधस्य भीमवधसंकल्पः

Alāyudha’s Resolve to Confront Bhīma

Devanagari script

क्षितावास्तां महेष्वासौ पाञ्चाल्यै: परिवारितौ | तौ दृष्टवा मुदितौ वीरौ प्राञ्जली चाग्रत: स्थितौ

Transliteration

kṣitāv āstāṃ maheṣvāsau pāñcālyaiḥ parivāritau | tau dṛṣṭvā muditau vīrau prāñjalī cāgrataḥ sthitau ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: كان الراميان العظيمان مطروحين على الأرض، وقد أحاط بهما البانشالا. فلما رآهما فارسان شجاعان ابتهجا، ووقفا أمامهما ويداهما مضمومتان علامةَ التوقير.

Word by Word

क्षितौon the ground

आस्ताम्were/let them be (sat)

महेष्वासौthe two great archers

पाञ्चाल्यैःby the Panchalas

परिवारितौsurrounded

तौthose two (them)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

मुदितौdelighted

वीरौthe two heroes

प्राञ्जलीwith joined palms

चand

अग्रतःin front

स्थितौstanding

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāñcālas

two great archers (unnamed in this verse)

two heroes standing with joined palms (unnamed in this verse)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within warfare, dharma can require moments of restraint and reverence: the gesture of joined palms suggests acknowledgment of status, relationship, or the solemnity of the fallen, reminding that victory is not merely triumph but also moral burden.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that two renowned archers are lying on the ground while Pāñcāla warriors stand around them; upon seeing this scene, two other heroes approach, become pleased (or relieved), and stand before them with folded hands in a respectful posture.