Shloka 21

Bhīmasena’s Kalinga Engagement and the Approach of Bhīṣma (भीमसेन-कालिङ्ग-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

तैविमुक्ता महाप्रासा जाम्बूनदविभूषणा: । आशुगा विमलास्तीक्ष्णा: सम्पेतुर्भुजगोपमा:,उनके द्वारा चलाये हुए सुवर्णभूषित निर्मल और तेज धारवाले शीघ्रगामी महाप्रास (भाले) सर्पोके समान गिर रहे थे

Transliteration

taiḥ vimuktā mahāprāsā jāmbūnadavibhūṣaṇāḥ | āśugā vimalās tīkṣṇāḥ sampetur bhujagopamāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Lanzadas por ellos, las grandes lanzas—adornadas con oro de Jāmbūnada, veloces, limpias y afiladas como navajas—se precipitaban como serpientes.

Word by Word

तैःby them

विमुक्ताःreleased, discharged

महाप्रासाःgreat spears/javelins

जाम्बूनद-विभूषणाःadorned with Jāmbūnada (gold) ornaments

आशुगाःswift-moving

विमलाःspotless, pure

तीक्ष्णाःsharp

सम्पेतुःfell down, rushed down

भुजग-उपमाःsnake-like (having the comparison of serpents)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

mahāprāsa (great lances/spears)

Jāmbūnada gold

serpents (as simile)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the terrifying efficiency of warfare: weapons, once released, move with unstoppable force. Ethically, it invites reflection on the grave consequences of conflict and the weight of martial action within kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a volley of large, gold-adorned lances being hurled. They fly swiftly and descend upon the battlefield, compared to serpents for their speed, menace, and deadly intent.