Shloka 41

Devanagari script

मर्मच्छिदं शोणितमांसदिग्ध॑ वैश्वानरार्कप्रतिमं महाहम्‌ । नराश्वनागासुहरं >यरत्निं षड्वाजमगज्जोगतिमुग्रवेगम्‌

Transliteration

marma-cchidaṁ śoṇita-māṁsa-digdhaṁ vaiśvānara-arka-pratimaṁ mahāham | narāśva-nāgāsu-haraṁ hayaratnaṁ ṣaḍvājam agaj-joga-tim ugra-vegam ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: «كان سلاحًا عظيمًا مروّعًا—يخترق المقاتل في مَقاتله، ملطّخًا بالدم واللحم، متوهّجًا كإله النار وكالشمس. مُهلكًا للرجال والخيل والفيلة؛ غنيمةً نفيسة في الحرب، يندفع بسرعةٍ ضارية لا تُقاوَم، كعربة قتال تجرّها ستة خيول.»

Word by Word

मर्मच्छिदम्piercing the vital parts

शोणितमांसदिग्धम्smeared with blood and flesh

वैश्वानरार्कप्रतिमम्like fire and the sun

महाहम्a great weapon/bolt (mahāha)

नराश्वनागासुहरम्destroying men, horses, elephants, and (other) beings

अयःरत्निम्with an iron handle/shaft

षड्वाजम्six-winged / having six vanes

अगज्जोगतिम्having the speed of an elephant (gaja)

उग्रवेगम्of fierce speed

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Vaiśvānara (Agni)

Arka (Sun)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the catastrophic power unleashed in war: when weapons are driven by wrath and rivalry, they become indiscriminate life-takers. Ethically, it highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between kṣatriya duty in battle and the tragic cost paid by living beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya vividly describes a terrifying, blazing, fast-moving war-weapon/assault—capable of piercing vital points and killing men, horses, and elephants—emphasizing its fiery brilliance and unstoppable momentum (notably, drawn by six horses).