Shloka 24

गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह

Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation

Devanagari script

चक्रे भग्ने युगे छिन्ने एकथधुयें हये हत:

Transliteration

cakre bhagne yuge chinne ekathādhūye haye hataḥ | jighāṃsantaṃ yudhāṃ śreṣṭha tadā āsīt tumulaṃ mahat ||

Translation

সঞ্জয় বললেন—রাজন্! যখন চাকা ভেঙে গেল, জোয়াল ছিন্ন হল, আর এক ধুরে জোতা ঘোড়াটিও নিহত হল—অর্থাৎ রথটি একটিমাত্র ঘোড়া নিয়ে রইল—তখন যোদ্ধাদের শ্রেষ্ঠ (ভীষ্ম) বধে অগ্রসর হতেই এক মহা ও তুমুল যুদ্ধ শুরু হল।

Word by Word

• चक्रे: made/caused
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद/आत्मनेपद) परोक्षभूत, 3, sg, आत्मनेपद

• भग्ने: when broken
• भग्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (भञ्ज्-क्त)
• Form: n, loc, sg

• युगे: in the yoke
• युगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग
• Form: n, loc, sg

• छिन्ने: when cut off
• छिन्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (छिद्-क्त)
• Form: n, loc, sg

• एकथा: in one way/at once (textual reading uncertain)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकथा

• धुये: shook/was shaken (reading uncertain)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लुङ् (पाठभेद-संदिग्ध), 3, sg, आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद (संदिग्ध)

• हये: in/at the horse (i.e., among the horses)
• हये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: m, loc, sg

• हतः: killed/struck down
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (हन्-क्त)
• Form: m, nom, sg

• जिघांसन्तम्: wishing to kill
• जिघांसन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: जिघांस् (हन्-देशिदेरिवेटिव/सन्नन्त)
• Form: m, acc, sg, वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ)

• युधाम्: of battles/warriors (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: f, gen, pl

• श्रेष्ठ: O best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: m, voc, sg

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), 3, sg, परस्मैपद

• तुमुलम्: tumultuous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुमुल
• Form: n, nom, sg

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: n, nom, sg

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'O King')
• Bhīṣma (implied by 'best among warriors' and context)
• chariot wheel (cakra)
• chariot yoke (yuga)
• horse (haya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of worldly power in war: even the greatest warriors become vulnerable when their supports (chariot, horses, equipment) fail. Ethically, it underscores kṣatriya-dharma’s harsh reality—duty-driven combat escalates when a feared slayer advances, compelling others to intervene to protect their side.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a critical moment in battle: a chariot is disabled (wheel broken, yoke cut, horse killed), and as the foremost warrior advances with lethal intent, the fighting swells into a fierce, chaotic clash as opposing forces surge to attack or defend.