Shloka 18

Devanagari script

ततो वज्जनिपाताश्ष साशनिस्तनयित्नव: । महांक्षट्चटाशब्दस्तत्रासीच्च महाहवे,तत्पश्चात्‌ उस महासमरमें वज्भरपात, मेघगर्जनाके साथ विद्युतकी गड़गड़ाहट तथा महान्‌ चट-चट शब्द होने लगे

Transliteration

tato vajranipātāś ca sāśanistanayitnavaḥ | mahāṁś caṭcaṭāśabdas tatrāsīc ca mahāhave |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then, in that great battle, there arose thunderbolt-like crashes together with lightning and peals of thunder; and amid the mighty combat a tremendous crackling “caṭ-caṭ” sound was heard.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• वज्रनिपाताः: thunderbolt-falls, lightning strikes
• वज्रनिपाताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्रनिपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स: it/that (as: along with)
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: स (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अशनिस्तनयित्नवः: thunder and thunderclaps
• अशनिस्तनयित्नवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशनिस्तनयित्नु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चटचटाशब्दः: a 'chat-chat' cracking sound
• चटचटाशब्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चटचटाशब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there, in that place
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• आसीत्: was, occurred
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• lightning (śani)
• thunder (stanayitnu)
• thunderbolt (vajra)
• great battle (mahāhava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war magnifies disorder and fear: nature-like portents and violent sounds mirror the moral and emotional turbulence of battle, reminding the listener that adharma-driven conflict brings overwhelming, uncontrollable consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield as filled with thunderbolt-like crashes, lightning and thunder, and loud crackling sounds—either as ominous natural signs or as similes for the escalating din of weapons and destruction in the great fight.