Shloka 52

Devanagari script

ततो राजन्नभूद्‌ घोर: संग्रामो लोमहर्षण: । बीभस्सुर्दक्षिणं पार्श्वमुत्तरं च वृकोदर:

Transliteration

tato rājann abhūd ghoraḥ saṅgrāmo lomaharṣaṇaḥ | bībhassur dakṣiṇaṃ pārśvam uttaraṃ ca vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

Then, O King, a dreadful battle arose—one that made the hair stand on end. Bhībhatsu held the right flank, and Vṛkodara the northern flank.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

राजन्O king

अभूत्became/occurred

घोरःterrible

संग्रामःbattle

लोमहर्षणःhair-raising, thrilling

बीभत्सुःBhībhatsu (Arjuna)

दक्षिणम्right (side)

पार्श्वम्flank/side

उत्तरम्northern/left (side)

चand

वृकोदरःVṛkodara (Bhīma)

Speaker

सयजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sajaya

Dhtar019tra

Bh2bbhatsu (Arjuna)

V5kodara (Bh2bma)

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?

Even amid a terrifying war, the verse highlights disciplined deployment and role-based duty: key warriors take assigned flanks, suggesting that order, responsibility, and steadfastness are essential when chaos threatens to overwhelm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sajaya reports to King Dhtar019tra that a fierce, hair-raising battle has erupted, and that Arjuna (Bh2bbhatsu) is positioned on the right flank while Bh2bma (V5kodara) holds the northern flank of the formation.