Shloka 12

अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः

Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle

Devanagari script

भीमो<थ सात्वतस्यार्थे बाह्लीक॑ नवभि: शरै:

Transliteration

bhīmo ’tha sātvatasya arthe bāhlīkaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīma, for the sake of the Sātvata warrior, struck Bāhlīka with nine arrows—an intervention born of loyalty to an ally amid the ruthless surge of battle.

Word by Word

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सात्वतस्य: of the Sātvata (Krishna/Vrishni hero)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अर्थे: for the sake (in the interest)
• अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• बाह्लीकम्: Bāhlīka (the king named Bahlika)
• बाह्लीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्लीक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नवभिः: with nine
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīma
• Sātvata
• Bāhlīka
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within the harsh ethics of war, the verse highlights a kṣatriya’s obligation to protect allies and act decisively for a comrade’s welfare—loyalty and responsibility guiding action amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma intervenes on behalf of a Sātvata warrior and wounds Bāhlīka by shooting him with nine arrows, marking a tactical and protective move in the ongoing battle.