Shloka 21

Śalya–Bhīma Gadāyuddham (मद्रराज-भीमसेन गदायुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

तानभिद्रवत: शूरांस्तावका दृढविक्रमा: । सर्वतः प्रत्यगृह्लन्त तदभूल्लोमहर्षणम्‌,उन आक्रमण करनेवाले पाण्डव वीरोंको आपके सुदृढ़ पराक्रमी सैनिकोंने सब ओरसे रोक दिया। उस समय दोनों दलोंमें रोमांचकारी युद्ध होने लगा

Transliteration

tān abhidravataḥ śūrāṁs tāvakā dṛḍha-vikramāḥ | sarvataḥ pratyagṛhlanta tad abhūl loma-harṣaṇam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “As those heroic warriors charged forward, your own troops—firm in valor—checked them from every side. Then the clash between the two armies rose into a hair-raising battle.”

Word by Word

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभिद्रवत: rushing/charging (towards)
• अभिद्रवत: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√द्रु (द्रवति)
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शूरान्: heroes, warriors
• शूरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तावकाः: your men; Kaurava-side warriors
• तावकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दृढविक्रमाः: of firm valor; steadfastly mighty
• दृढविक्रमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ-विक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वतः: from all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतस्
• Form: true

• प्रत्यगृह्णन्त: they checked/held back, restrained
• प्रत्यगृह्णन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√ग्रह् (गृह्णाति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• तत्: that (event)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभूत्: was, became
• अभूत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भवति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• लोमहर्षणम्: hair-raising, thrilling
• लोमहर्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोमहर्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tāvakāḥ')
• Pāṇḍava warriors (implied by the charging heroes)
• Kaurava troops (tāvakāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the momentum of war: courage and resolve meet counter-resolve. Ethically, it reflects kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form—valor, discipline, and strategic restraint—while also hinting at the tragic intensity of conflict that overwhelms both sides.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the attacking warriors surge forward, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s forces (the Kaurava side) surround and check the assault from all directions. The engagement intensifies into a terrifying, thrilling melee described as loma-harṣaṇa—causing horripilation.