Shloka 40

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Anxiety and Bhīṣma’s Theological Explanation of Pāṇḍava Invincibility

Book 6, Chapter 61

Devanagari script

ततः प्रववृते भूय: संग्रामो लोमहर्षण: । तावकानां परेषां च समरे विजयैषिणाम्‌,इस प्रकार युद्धमें विजय चाहनेवाले आपके और पाण्डवोंके सैनिकोंमें पुनः रोमांचकारी संग्राम छिड़ गया

Transliteration

tataḥ pravavṛte bhūyaḥ saṅgrāmo lomaharṣaṇaḥ | tāvakānāṁ pareṣāṁ ca samare vijayaiṣiṇām ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then once again there arose a hair-raising battle, as both your warriors and the opposing forces—each intent on victory—clashed in the fight.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

प्रववृतेarose, began, set in motion

भूयःagain, once more

संग्रामःbattle

लोमहर्षणःhair-raising, thrilling

तावकानाम्of your (men), of yours

परेषाम्of the others (the opposing side)

चand

समरेin battle

विजयैषिणाम्of those seeking victory

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tāvakānām' = 'your')

Kauravas (tāvakāḥ)

Pāṇḍavas and allies (pare)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the consuming drive for victory on both sides and the terrifying momentum of war; ethically, it frames battle as an arena where desire for triumph can eclipse reflection on dharma, foreshadowing the heavy cost of victory-seeking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that after a brief shift or pause in the fighting, the combat flares up again—an intense, hair-raising clash between the Kaurava forces ('yours') and the opposing Pāṇḍava side, both pressing for victory.