Shloka 60

Devanagari script

अशवनुवन्तो बीभत्सुं बाल॑ हत्वा महारथा:

Transliteration

aśvān uvanto bībhatsuṁ bālaṁ hatvā mahārathāḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Having slain the boy Bībhatsu, the great chariot-warriors cried out for their horses.”

Word by Word

• अश्वानुवन्तः: those having horses / horse-possessing
• अश्वानुवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्वानुवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बीभत्सुम्: Bībhatsu (Arjuna)
• बीभत्सुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीभत्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बालम्: the boy / the young one
• बालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain / after killing
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), non-finite

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bībhatsu
• horses
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical shock of war: when violence extends to the killing of a child, even victorious warriors are shown amid disorder and agitation, hinting at the erosion of dharma and the inner consequences of adharma-like acts.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that after killing a boy identified as Bībhatsu, the great warriors are shouting for their horses, suggesting a chaotic moment—repositioning chariots, regrouping, and the turmoil that follows a grievous act on the battlefield.