Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

ततः कलिज्जा: संनद्धा भीमसेनममर्षणम्‌ | अनीकैर्बहुसाहस: क्षत्रिया: समवारयन्‌,तब कलिंगदेशीय समस्त क्षत्रियोंने कई हजार सैनिकोंके साथ आकर युद्धके लिये उद्यत हो अमर्षशील भीमसेनको आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया

Transliteration

tataḥ kaliṅgāḥ saṃnaddhā bhīmasenam amarṣaṇam | anīkair bahusāhasrāḥ kṣatriyāḥ samavārayan ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the Kalingas, fully armed, advanced in great numbers. With many thousands of troops in their battle-formations, those Kshatriyas surrounded Bhimasena—fierce and unenduring of insult—and checked his forward advance.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय

• कलिङ्गाः: the Kalingas
• कलिङ्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• संनद्धाः: armed, fully equipped
• संनद्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-नह् (धातु) → संनद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भीमसेनम्: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अमर्षणम्: unforbearing, fierce (in wrath)
• अमर्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनीकैः: with armies/troops
• अनीकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• बहुसाहसाः: very daring, of great boldness
• बहुसाहसाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु-साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas, warriors
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• समवारयन्: they checked/stopped/held back
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√वृ (वारयति) (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhimasena (Bhima)
• Kalinga (Kaliṅga)
• Kshatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: disciplined readiness (saṃnaddhāḥ), organized collective action (anīkaiḥ), and the ethical tension of war where valor and restraint coexist—Bhima’s fierce drive is met by an opposing force that seeks to check and contain it within the battlefield’s rules.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that warriors from Kalinga, in large numbers and in proper formations, surround Bhima—described as fierce and intolerant of provocation—and prevent him from advancing further, effectively halting his charge.