Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

भीमसेन: कलिड्डनामार्च्छद्‌ भारत वाहिनीम्‌ । केतुमन्तं च नैषादिमायान्तं सह चेदिभि:

Transliteration

bhīmasenaḥ kaliḍḍanāmārcchad bhārata vāhinīm | ketumantaṃ ca naiṣādim āyāntaṃ saha cedibhiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Bhīmasena surged against the Kuru host. At the same time he confronted Ketumat, the Naiṣāda leader, who was advancing together with the Cedis.”

Word by Word

• भीमसेनः: Bhimasena (Bhima)
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कलिङ्गान्: the Kalingas
• कलिङ्गान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नाम: indeed / by name (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम

• अर्च्छत्: attacked / went against
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• भारत: of the Bharatas
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भारत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वाहिनीम्: army
• वाहिनीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहिनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• केतुमन्तम्: Ketumat (named Ketumat)
• केतुमन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केतुमत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• नैषादिम्: the Naiṣāda leader (chief of the Niṣādas)
• नैषादिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैषादि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आयान्तम्: coming / advancing
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• चेदिभिः: with the Cedis
• चेदिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Kaliḍḍa (epithet)
• Bhārata vāhinī (Kuru army)
• Ketumat
• Naiṣāda (people/leader)
• Cedis (Cedi warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: steadfast courage and decisive engagement in a justly undertaken battle, while recognizing that warfare unfolds through alliances and collective responsibility rather than isolated heroics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma charges into the Kuru host and meets Ketumat, identified as a Naiṣāda leader, who advances along with Cedi forces—marking an intense clash of grouped warriors on the battlefield.