Shloka 53

Droṇa–Arjuna Yuddha; Trigarta-Āvaraṇa; Bhīmasena Gajānīka-bheda

Droṇa and Arjuna Engage; Trigarta Containment; Bhīma Breaks the Elephant Corps

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा स निनदं घोरममर्षादू गतसाध्वस: । भगदत्तो महेष्वास: स्वनागं प्रत्यचोदयत्‌

Transliteration

śrutvā sa ninadaṃ ghoraṃ amarṣād u gata-sādhvasaḥ | bhagadatto maheṣvāsaḥ sva-nāgaṃ pratyacodayat, rājan |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: »Als er jenes furchtbare Dröhnen hörte, trieb Bhagadatta — der große Bogenschütze —, von Zorn und amarsa (verletztem Stolz) getrieben und ohne Furcht, seinen eigenen Kriegselefanten gegen die Pāṇḍavas vor, o König.«

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपद-भाव, —, —, —

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निनदम्: roar, sound
• निनदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निनद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अमर्षात्: from indignation
• अमर्षात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• उद्गतसाध्वसः: whose fear had departed (fearless)
• उद्गतसाध्वसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्गत-साध्वस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भगदत्तः: Bhagadatta
• भगदत्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगदत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महेष्वासः: great archer
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-इष्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वनागम्: his own elephant
• स्वनागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय

• अचोदयत्: urged, drove on
• अचोदयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चुद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhagadatta
• Pāṇḍavas
• war-elephant (nāga)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse implicitly contrasts fearlessness with the motive behind it: Bhagadatta’s courage arises from amarṣa (indignant wrath). It suggests that bravery in war can be ethically ambiguous when fueled by anger and wounded pride rather than disciplined duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the Pāṇḍavas’ terrifying battle-cry, Bhagadatta—renowned as a great archer—responds immediately by driving his elephant forward to engage them, as Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra.