Shloka 30

अभिमन्यु-परिवेष्टनम्

Encirclement and Counterassault of Abhimanyu

Devanagari script

हितप्रियंवदैः काले बहुभि: पुण्यगन्धिभि: । द्विषच्छिरोभि: पृथिवीं स वै तस्तार फाल्गुनि:,जिनमें सुन्दर नासिका, सुन्दर मुख और सुन्दर केशान्त भागकी अद्भुत शोभा हो रही थी, जिनमें फोड़े-फुंसी या घावके चिह्न नहीं थे, जो मनोहर कुण्डलोंसे प्रकाशित हो रहे थे, जिनके ओषछ्ठपुट क्रोधके कारण दाँतों तले दबे हुए थे, जो अधिकाधिक रक्तकी धारा बहा रहे थे, जिनके ऊपर मनोहर मुकुट और पगड़ीकी शोभा होती थी, जो मणिरत्नमय आभूषणोंसे विभूषित थे, जिनकी प्रभा सूर्य और चन्द्रमाके समान जान पड़ती थी, जो बिना नालके प्रफुल्ल कमलके समान प्रतीत होते थे, जो समय-समयपर हित एवं प्रियकी बातें बताते थे, जिनकी संख्या बहुत अधिक थी तथा जो पवित्र सुगन्धसे सुवासित थे, शत्रुओंके उन मस्तकोंद्वारा अभिमन्युने वहाँकी सारी पृथ्वीको पाट दिया

Transliteration

hitapriyaṁvadaiḥ kāle bahubhiḥ puṇyagandhibhiḥ | dviṣacchirobhīḥ pṛthivīṁ sa vai tastāra phālgunīḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: At that time, with many enemy heads—heads that had spoken what was beneficial and pleasing at the proper moment, and that were fragrant with auspicious perfumes—Phālguni (Abhimanyu) indeed covered the earth there, strewing it with the severed heads of his foes. The verse underscores the grim irony of war: even those once capable of courteous, timely counsel are reduced to lifeless trophies when dharma collapses into slaughter.

Word by Word

हितप्रियंवदैःby/with (those) who speak what is beneficial and dear

कालेin (due) time

बहुभिःby many

पुण्यगन्धिभिःby/with (those) of holy fragrance

द्विषच्छिरोभिःby/with the enemies' heads

पृथिवीम्the earth

सःhe

वैindeed

तैःby/with those

तस्तारhe strewed/covered

फाल्गुनिःPhālguni (Abhimanyu/son of Phalguna)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Phālguni (Abhimanyu)

enemies (dviṣat)

earth/ground (pṛthivī)

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 highlights the moral dissonance of war: qualities admired in life—timely, pleasant, beneficial speech and refined bearing—do not protect one from destruction when conflict overwhelms dharma. It invites reflection on the cost of violence and the fragility of human virtues amid battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene where Abhimanyu (called Phālguni) has slain many foes; their severed heads, once adorned and perfumed, now lie in such numbers that they seem to carpet the ground.