Shloka 5

Adhyāya 143: Nocturnal duels—Nākuli and Citraseṇa; Vṛṣasena’s assault; Duḥśāsana vs Prativindhya

Devanagari script

सम्प्राप्प भारतीमध्यं तलघोषसमाकुलम्‌ । असिशक्तिगदापूर्णमप्लवं सलिलं यथा

Transliteration

samprāpya bhāratī-madhyaṁ talaghoṣa-samākulam | asi-śakti-gadā-pūrṇam aplavaṁ salilaṁ yathā

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Ia memasuki tepat ke tengah bala Bharata, yang riuh oleh dentum tepuk-tangan laksana palem dan pekik perang. Barisan itu padat oleh pedang, tombak (śakti), dan gada—bagaikan banjir air yang dalam tanpa rakit, sukar diseberangi.

Word by Word

• सम्प्राप्य: having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु: आप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• भारतीम्: the (river) Bhāratī
• भारतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अध्यम्: the middle (region)
• अध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तलघोषसमाकुलम्: filled with the din of (striking) palms/hands
• तलघोषसमाकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असि-शक्ति-गदा-पूर्णम्: full of swords, spears, and maces
• असि-शक्ति-गदा-पूर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अप्लवम्: without a boat/raft; not fordable
• अप्लवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata host (Kuru army)
• sword (asi)
• spear/lance (śakti)
• mace (gadā)
• water/flood (salila)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a moral-psychological simile: the battlefield’s center is like a raftless flood—once entered, it is difficult to cross. It highlights the ethical gravity of war and the need for disciplined courage and right judgment amid chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior (implied from context) penetrating into the midst of the Kuru host, which is roaring with loud sounds and densely armed with swords, spears, and maces—so dangerous that it resembles an uncrossable torrent.