Shloka 21

Adhyāya 41 — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Briefing and the Renewal of the Great Engagement

Devanagari script

प्रमाथिनं बलवन्तं प्रहारिणं प्रभञ्जनं मातरिश्वानमुग्रम्‌

Transliteration

pramāthinaṃ balavantaṃ prahāriṇaṃ prabhañjanaṃ mātariśvānam ugram

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «(Il était) une force écrasante — puissant, frappant sans relâche — tel la tempête, tel le farouche Mātariśvan (le Vent).»

Word by Word

• प्रमाथिनम्: the crushing/tormenting one
• प्रमाथिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमाथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बलवन्तम्: the strong one
• बलवन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रहारिणम्: the striker/assailant
• प्रहारिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभञ्जनम्: the shatterer; (name/epithet of) the Wind
• प्रभञ्जनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभञ्जन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरिश्वानम्: Mātariśvan (the Wind-god)
• मातरिश्वानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातरिश्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उग्रम्: fierce, terrible
• उग्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu/Wind)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse is not a doctrinal maxim but an ethical-literary emphasis: in war, raw force can appear ‘elemental’ and irresistible, yet such power is morally significant only in how it is directed—whether it serves rightful duty (dharma) or mere destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing a warrior’s terrifying prowess on the battlefield, using epithets and similes—especially the image of fierce Wind (Mātariśvan)—to convey speed, impact, and the capacity to break enemy resistance.