Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

खड्गेन शितधारेण संयुगे गजयोधिनाम्‌ | पदातिरेक: संक्रुद्धः शत्रूणां भयवर्धन:

Transliteration

khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa saṁyuge gajayodhinām | padātirekaḥ saṁkruddhaḥ śatrūṇāṁ bhayavardhanaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In the press of battle against the elephant-warriors, a furious foot-soldier, wielding a keen, razor-edged sword, became a source of mounting terror to the enemy. The verse highlights how, in war, resolve and skill can make even one on foot formidable against seemingly superior forces.

Word by Word

• खड्गेन: with a sword
• खड्गेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शितधारेण: with a sharp-edged (one)
• शितधारेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शितधार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गज-योधिनाम्: of the elephant-warriors
• गज-योधिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजयोधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पदाति-एकः: one foot-soldier
• पदाति-एकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संक्रुद्धः: enraged
• संक्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शत्रूणाम्: of the enemies
• शत्रूणाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• भय-वर्धनः: increasing fear
• भय-वर्धनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयवर्धन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• sword (khaḍga)
• elephant-warriors (gajayodhinaḥ)
• enemies (śatravaḥ)
• battle (saṁyuga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores a martial-ethical insight: courage, disciplined skill, and fierce resolve can shift the balance of fear and morale in battle, so apparent disadvantages (being on foot against elephant troops) do not determine outcomes by themselves.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment in which a single enraged infantryman, armed with a very sharp sword, confronts elephant-mounted fighters and becomes a cause of fear among the opposing side.