Shloka 24

Devanagari script

हतावशिष्टांस्तुरगानर्जुनेन महाबलान्‌ । भीमो व्यधमदश्रान्तो गदापाणिमहाहवे,भीमसेन अभी थके नहीं थे, उन्होंने हाथमें गदा ले उस महासमरमें अर्जुनद्वारा मारे जानेसे बचे हुए महाबली घोड़ों और सवारोंका संहार कर डाला

Transliteration

hatāvaśiṣṭāṁs turagān arjunena mahābalān | bhīmo vyadhamad aśrānto gadāpāṇir mahāhave ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In that great battle, Bhīma—still unwearied and wielding his mace—went on to slaughter the powerful horses (and their riders) who had survived after being struck down by Arjuna.

Word by Word

हतslain

अवशिष्टान्remaining, left over

तुरगान्horses

अर्जुनेनby Arjuna

महाबलान्very strong, mighty

भीमःBhima

व्यधमत्smashed, struck down

अश्रान्तःunwearied, untiring

गदापाणिःmace-in-hand (one who has a mace in his hand)

महाहवेin the great battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

gadā (mace)

turaga (horses/cavalry)

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 harsh ethical reality of dharma-yuddha as experienced on the battlefield: warriors act with relentless resolve, and survival after one assault does not guarantee safety. It reflects how duty, momentum of conflict, and martial resolve can override compassion in the immediacy of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, still energetic and holding his mace, destroys the remaining powerful horses (and effectively the cavalry) that had escaped after Arjuna’s attack, intensifying the rout in that sector of the battle.