Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

सर्वे: कलिड्लैरासन्न: संनिवृत्तेषु चेदिषु

Transliteration

sarve kaliṅgair āsannaḥ saṃnivṛtteṣu cedīṣu | cedideśīya-sainikānāṃ palāyanaṃ gate samastāḥ kaliṅgā bhīmasenasya nikaṭaṃ jagmuḥ; tathāpi mahābalī pāṇḍunandanaḥ bhīmasenaḥ svabāhubalaṃ niśritya na nivavṛte, na ca rathopasthānāt kiñcid api vicacāla |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Lorsque les troupes de Cedi se retournèrent et prirent la fuite, tous les Kalinga se resserrèrent autour de Bhīmasena. Pourtant, le puissant fils de Pāṇḍu, confiant dans la force de ses propres bras, ne recula pas et ne vacilla pas même d’un souffle sur son siège de char. La scène souligne un courage inébranlable et une résolution ferme au milieu des revirements de la bataille.

Word by Word

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कलिङ्गाः: the Kalingas
• कलिङ्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आसन्: were
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural

• संनिवृत्तेषु: when (they) had turned back / withdrawn
• संनिवृत्तेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-नि-वृत् (संनिवृत्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• चेदिषु: among the Cedis
• चेदिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Pāṇḍu
• Cedi (Cedis/Cedī troops)
• Kaliṅga (Kalingas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfastness under pressure: even when opponents surge forward and allies falter, a warrior grounded in duty and inner resolve does not yield to fear or instability.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Cedi soldiers withdraw and flee, the Kalinga fighters converge on Bhīma. Bhīma, described as immensely strong, stands firm—he neither retreats nor shows the slightest wavering on his chariot.