Shloka 24

Bhagadattā’s Deployment Against Ghaṭotkaca; Elephant-Corps Escalation

Devanagari script

ततः पुनरमेयात्मा प्रसंधाय शिलीमुखम्‌ | प्रेषयामास समरे पण्डितं प्रति भारत,भरतनन्दन! तब अमेय आत्मबलसे सम्पन्न भीमने समरमें पुन: एक बाणका संधान करके उसे पण्डितककी ओर चलाया

Transliteration

tataḥ punar ameyātmā prasaṃdhāya śilīmukham | preṣayāmāsa samare paṇḍitaṃ prati bhārata ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Dann wiederum legte jener Krieger von unermesslichem Geist sorgfältig einen scharfen Pfeil ein und entsandte ihn mitten in der Schlacht gegen Paṇḍita, o Bhārata. Der Vers betont den bedachten, geschulten Einsatz von Gewalt im Krieg—Handeln aus Ruhe und Präzision, nicht aus ungestümer Wut.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: Avyaya

• अमेयात्मा: the immeasurable-souled one
• अमेयात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमेयात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रसंधाय: having fixed/aimed
• प्रसंधाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-सम्-धा
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), 'having fitted/aimed'

• शिलीमुखम्: an arrow
• शिलीमुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलीमुख
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• प्रेषयामास: sent/shot
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष्
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic perfect), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• पण्डितम्: the learned man (Pandita)
• पण्डितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• प्रति: towards/against
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति
• Form: Avyaya (governing accusative)

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

• भरतनन्दन: O delight of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• śilīmukha (arrow)
• Paṇḍita (target/warrior named Paṇḍita)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within warfare, action is portrayed as disciplined and intentional: the warrior carefully aims and releases the arrow, reflecting trained restraint and focus rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the warrior described as 'ameyātmā' again fits a sharp arrow and shoots it in battle toward a fighter named Paṇḍita, addressing the account to Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra).