Shloka 72

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

ततः: श्रुतायुर्बलवान्‌ भीमाय निशितान्‌ शरान्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ śrutāyur balavān bhīmāya niśitān śarān

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da schoss der mächtige Śrutāyu scharf geschliffene, rasiermesserscharfe Pfeile auf Bhīma—und steigerte so die Wildheit der Schlacht, indem er den Kriegerkodex bekräftigte, nach dem sich Können im unmittelbaren, kraftvollen Angriff gegen einen furchtbaren Gegner zeigt.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययः), अर्थे: 'तस्मात्/अनन्तरम्'

• श्रुतायुः: Shrutayu (a warrior)
• श्रुतायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुतायु (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• बलवान्: mighty/strong
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• भीमाय: to Bhima
• भीमाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्

• निशितान्: sharpened/keen
• निशितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śrutāyu
• Bhīma
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: warriors demonstrate courage and skill by confronting powerful opponents directly, even as such actions deepen the violence and moral tension inherent in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the strong warrior Śrutāyu launches a volley of sharp arrows at Bhīma, marking an escalation in their combat within the Kurukṣetra war.