Shloka 8

अभिमन्युवधः

Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath

Devanagari script

मार्तिकावतकं भोजं तत: कुज्जरकेतनम्‌ | क्षुरप्रेण समुन्मथ्य ननाद विसृजन्‌ शरान्‌,तत्पश्चात्‌ हाथीके चिह्नसे युक्त ध्वजावाले मार्तिकावतक नरेश भोजको एक क्षुरप्रद्वारा नष्ट करके अभिमन्युने बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए सिंहनाद किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

mārtikāvatakaṃ bhojaṃ tataḥ kujjaraketanam |

kṣurapreṇa samunmathya nanāda visṛjan śarān ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Abhimanyu, striking down Bhoja of Mārtikāvata—whose banner bore the emblem of an elephant—by means of a razor-edged arrow, roared aloud like a lion while releasing a shower of shafts.

Word by Word

• मार्तिकावतकम्: the (king) of Mārtikāvataka
• मार्तिकावतकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्तिकावतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भोजम्: Bhoja (proper name)
• भोजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• कुज्जरकेतनम्: the one with an elephant-banner/elephant-emblem
• कुज्जरकेतनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुज्जर-केतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor-headed arrow
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• समुन्मथ्य: having crushed/overthrown
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-√मथ्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ननाद: roared, sounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नद्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विसृजन्: releasing, discharging
• विसृजन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√सृज्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Bhoja (of Mārtikāvata)
• Mārtikāvata
• Elephant-emblem banner (kujjaraketana)
• Kṣurapra (razor-edged arrow)
• Arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined martial excellence and fearless resolve in battle, while implicitly reminding the reader that such displays occur within a larger ethical tension of war—where power must be weighed against dharma and proper conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Abhimanyu strikes down a warrior named Bhoja from Mārtikāvata, identified by an elephant-emblem banner, using a razor-edged arrow; after this decisive hit, Abhimanyu roars and continues firing a volley of arrows.