Shloka 17

Devanagari script

हिरण्यवर्मा निशितै: पृषत्कै- स्तवात्मजानामनिलात्मजो वै । अतापयत्‌ सैन्यमतीव भीम: काले शुचौ मध्यगतो यथार्क:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

hiraṇyavarmā niśitaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ tavātmajānām anilātmajo vai |

atāpayat sainyam atīva bhīmaḥ kāle śucau madhyagato yathārkaḥ ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: Clad in golden armour, Bhima—the son of the Wind—scorched the army of your sons with keen arrows, tormenting it fiercely, as the midday sun in a clear season burns with relentless heat. The image proclaims the overwhelming, near-inescapable force of Bhima’s onslaught.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यवर्मा: golden-armoured (one)
• हिरण्यवर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यवर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पृषत्कैः: arrows
• पृषत्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृषत्क
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• आत्मजानाम्: of (your) sons
• आत्मजानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अनिलात्मजः: son of the Wind (Vayu)
• अनिलात्मजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिलात्मज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै
• Form: —, —, —

• अतापयत्: caused to burn/tormented
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Yes (णिच्)

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अतीव: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव
• Form: —, —, —

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काले: at the time/season
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शुचौ: clear/bright (time)
• शुचौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मध्यगतः: having reached the middle (mid-sky)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यगत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• यथा: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा
• Form: —, —, —

• अर्कः: the sun
• अर्कः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhima (Vayuputra, Anilatmaja)
• Kaurava princes (Dhritarashtra’s sons)
• Kaurava army
• Golden armour (hiraṇyavarma)
• Arrows (pṛṣatka)
• Sun (arka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, accumulated resolve and martial capability can become an overwhelming force—likened to the midday sun—suggesting the inevitability of consequences once conflict reaches its peak, even when framed within kshatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Bhima, described as Vayu’s son and clad in golden armour, is striking the Kaurava forces with sharp arrows and causing them severe distress, compared to the scorching heat of the midday sun in a clear season.