Shloka 15

Devanagari script

सा हयांश्ष रथं चास्य सारथिं च महास्वना । चूर्णयामास वेगेन विसृष्टा भीमकर्मणा,भयंकर कर्म करनेवाले उस राक्षसद्वारा वेगपूर्वक फेंकी गयी उस भारी आवाज करनेवाली गदाने अलायुधके रथ, सारथि और घोड़ोंको चूर-चूर कर दिया

Transliteration

sā hayāṁś ca rathaṁ cāsya sārathiṁ ca mahāsvanā | cūrṇayāmāsa vegena visṛṣṭā bhīmakarmaṇā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hurled with tremendous speed by that fearsome, mighty-doer, the heavy mace that roared like thunder smashed to pieces his horses, his chariot, and his charioteer.

Word by Word

साshe/that (mace)

हयान्horses

रथम्chariot

चand

अस्यof him/of this (his)

सारथिम्charioteer

चand

महास्वनाloud-sounding

चूर्णयामासcrushed to pieces

वेगेनwith speed/force

विसृष्टाhaving been hurled/released

भीमकर्मणाby the doer of terrible deeds

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

mace (gadā)

chariot (ratha)

charioteer (sārathi)

horses (hayāḥ)

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 fragility of worldly supports in the midst of adharma-driven violence: in war, even the essential instruments that sustain a warrior—horses, chariot, and charioteer—can be obliterated in an instant by overwhelming force, reminding the listener of impermanence and the ethical cost of unchecked ferocity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a thunderous mace, hurled at great speed by a fearsome combatant, striking and pulverizing an opponent’s chariot ensemble—his horses, chariot, and charioteer—thereby disabling him on the battlefield.