Shloka 24
Devanagari script
न तान् रथस्थो भूमिष्ठान् धमपिक्षी वृकोदर:
Transliteration
na tān rathastho bhūmiṣṭhān dhamapikṣī vṛkodaraḥ
Translation
Sañjaya said: Stationed upon his chariot, Vṛkodara did not blow his conch at those who were on the ground—an act of restraint amid the fury of battle, for he would not exult over the fallen or the helpless.
Word by Word
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
तान्those (men)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
रथस्थःstanding on the chariot / chariot-mounted
रथस्थः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootरथस्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भूमिष्ठान्standing on the ground
भूमिष्ठान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootभूमिष्ठ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अधमःbase, vile
अधमः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअधम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अपिक्षीalso, even
अपिक्षी:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
वृकोदरःVṛkodara (Bhīma)
वृकोदरः:
Karta
TypeNoun (proper name)
Rootवृकोदर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaV
Vṛkodara (Bhīma)R
ratha (chariot)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
Even in war, a warrior’s conduct is measured by restraint: one should not display triumph or aggression toward those who are already down or disadvantaged, aligning valor with dharma.
Sañjaya reports Bhīma (Vṛkodara) on his chariot, noting that he did not blow his conch toward opponents who were on the ground—suggesting a moment of controlled behavior amid ongoing combat.