Shloka 36

Bhīmasena’s Kalinga Engagement and the Approach of Bhīṣma (भीमसेन-कालिङ्ग-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

व्याक्रोशन्त नरा राजंस्तत्र तत्र सम बान्धवान्‌ | पुत्रानन्ये पितृनन्ये भ्रातृश्व सह बन्धुभि:

Transliteration

vyākrośanta narā rājan tatra tatra sama-bāndhavān | putrān anye pitṝn anye bhrātṝś ca saha bāndhubhiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, men cried out in anguish here and there, calling to their own kinsmen—some for their sons, some for their fathers, and some for their brothers, along with their other relatives.”

Word by Word

• व्याक्रोशन्त: cried out, wailed aloud
• व्याक्रोशन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्याक्रुश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• तत्र: there (here and there)
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• सम्: together/along with
• सम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• बान्धवान्: kinsmen, relatives
• बान्धवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पितॄन्: fathers
• पितॄन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भ्रातॄन्: brothers
• भ्रातॄन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• सह: together with
• सह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• बन्धुभिः: with (their) relatives
• बन्धुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (rājan)
• sons (putrāḥ)
• fathers (pitaraḥ)
• brothers (bhrātaraḥ)
• kinsmen/relatives (bāndhavāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the human cost of war: even amid claims of duty and victory, the battlefield reduces people to grief-stricken kin calling for sons, fathers, and brothers—highlighting the ethical tragedy of violence within one’s own family network.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, in the chaos of battle, men are wailing in different places, each calling out for close relatives—some searching for sons, others for fathers, others for brothers—along with other kinsmen.