Shloka 122

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

Devanagari script

“वीरवर! बड़े सौभाग्यकी बात है कि कलिंगराज भानुमान्‌, राजकुमार केतुमान्‌, कलिंगवीर शक्रदेव तथा अन्य बहुसंख्यक कलिंग-सैनिक आपके द्वारा युद्धमें मारे गये ।।

Transliteration

vīravara! baḍe saubhāgyakī bāta hai ki kaliṅgarāja bhānumān, rājakumāra ketumān, kaliṅgavīra śakradeva tathā anya bahusaṅkhyaka kaliṅga-sainika āpake dvārā yuddhe māre gaye. svabāhubalavīryeṇa nāgāśvarathasaṅkulaḥ | mahāpuruṣabhūyiṣṭho dhīrayodhaniṣevitaḥ ||

Translation

સંજય બોલ્યો—હે વીરવર! આ તો મહાન સૌભાગ્ય છે કે યુદ્ધમાં તમે કલિંગરાજ ભાનુમાન, રાજકુમાર કેતુમાન, કલિંગવીર શક્રદેવ તથા અન્ય અસંખ્ય કલિંગ-સૈનિકોને સંહાર્યા. પોતાના જ બાહુબળ અને પરાક્રમથી તમે રણભૂમિને હાથી-ઘોડા-રથોથી સઘન કરી દીધી; તે દૃશ્ય મહાપુરુષોથી ભરેલું અને ધીર યોધ્ધાઓથી સેવિત હતું.

Word by Word

• स्व: by one’s own
• स्व: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (in compound sense), Singular

• बाहु: arm
• बाहु: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (in compound sense), Singular

• बल: strength
• बल: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (in compound sense), Singular

• वीर्येण: by valor/energy
• वीर्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• नाग: elephants
• नाग: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound sense), Plural/Singular

• अश्व: horses
• अश्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound sense), Plural/Singular

• रथ: chariots
• रथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound sense), Plural/Singular

• संकुलः: crowded/thronged
• संकुलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महापुरुष: great men
• महापुरुष: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound sense), Plural

• भूयिष्ठः: mostly/abundantly
• भूयिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धीर: steadfast/wise
• धीर: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental/Genitive (in compound sense), Singular

• योधन: battle/fighting
• योधन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योधन
• Form: Masculine, Locative (in compound sense), Singular

• निषेवितः: frequented/attended/engaged in
• निषेवितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-सेव्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaliṅga
• Bhānumān (king of Kaliṅga)
• Ketumān (prince)
• Śakradeva (Kaliṅga warrior)
• Kaliṅga soldiers
• elephants (nāga)
• horses (aśva)
• chariots (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames battlefield success as ‘saubhāgya’ (good fortune) and highlights kṣatriya-dharma: valor, steadfastness, and personal effort (svabāhu-bala-vīrya) are praised, while the grim cost—many slain warriors—is presented as the accepted currency of righteous war in epic ethics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, praising a hero’s martial achievement: key Kaliṅga leaders (Bhānumān, Ketumān, Śakradeva) and many Kaliṅga troops have been killed, and the battlefield is described as densely packed with elephants, horses, and chariots, frequented by resolute warriors.