Shloka 103

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

कलिड्जप्रभवां चैव मांसशोणितकर्दमाम्‌ | रुधिरस्यन्दिनीं तत्र भीम: प्रावर्तयन्नदीम्‌

Transliteration

kaliṅga-prabhavāṃ caiva māṃsa-śoṇita-kardamām | rudhira-syandinīṃ tatra bhīmaḥ prāvartayannadīm ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Là, Bhīma fit jaillir un fleuve effroyable, comme né du sein même de l’armée de Kaliṅga : sa vase était de chair et de sang, et il coulait en torrent de pourpre. Cette image souligne l’horreur morale de la guerre : la vaillance devient indissociable du carnage, et le champ de bataille se change en paysage de ruine éthique.

Word by Word

• कलिङ्गप्रभवाम्: having its source in the Kalingas (Kalinga-army)
• कलिङ्गप्रभवाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलिङ्ग-प्रभवा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मांसशोणितकर्दमाम्: having mire of flesh and blood
• मांसशोणितकर्दमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस-शोणित-कर्दमा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• रुधिरस्यन्दिनीम्: flowing with blood
• रुधिरस्यन्दिनीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिर-स्यन्दिनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

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

• प्रावर्तयत्: set in motion/caused to flow
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (वर्तयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नदीम्: a river
• नदीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Kaliṅga (Kaliṅga troops/host)
• river (nadī) of blood

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a stark battlefield image to highlight the ethical cost of war: even when fought under kṣatriya-duty, violence produces a world of blood and suffering, warning the listener not to romanticize victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s ferocious onslaught against the Kaliṅga contingent, poetically portraying the carnage as a river originating from the Kaliṅga host, with flesh-and-blood mire and a current of gore.