Shloka 53
Devanagari script
ततो भेरी:समाजघ्नु: शड्खान् दध्मुश्न दंशिता:
Transliteration
tato bherīḥ samājaghnur śaṅkhān dadhmuś ca daṃśitāḥ
Translation
«Alors les tambours de guerre furent frappés à l’unisson, et les guerriers en armes soufflèrent leurs conques : signal retentissant que l’ordre de bataille était établi et que le choc allait se précipiter.»
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (तस्मात्/ततः = then/thereafter)
भेरीःkettle-drums
भेरीः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभेरी
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन
समाजघ्नुःthey struck, they beat
समाजघ्नुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + हन्
Formलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचन
शङ्खान्conches
शङ्खान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशङ्ख
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन
दध्मुःthey blew
दध्मुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootध्मा
Formलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचन
दंशिताःarmed, accoutred
दंशिताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदंशित (दंश्/दंशय्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
bherī (war-drums)Ś
śaṅkha (conch shells)D
daṃśitāḥ (armored warriors)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
The verse highlights how war is initiated through disciplined, collective signals—drums and conches—showing organized resolve; ethically, it underscores the gravity of entering violence with full preparedness and communal commitment.
Sañjaya describes the immediate prelude to combat: drums are beaten together and conches are blown by armored fighters, marking the formal commencement and intensification of the battle scene.