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Shloka 45

Droṇa–Arjuna Yuddha; Trigarta-Āvaraṇa; Bhīmasena Gajānīka-bheda

Droṇa and Arjuna Engage; Trigarta Containment; Bhīma Breaks the Elephant Corps

दधार सुप्रतीको5पि वेलेव मकरालयम्‌ । समरभूमिमें अपनी ओर आते हुए उस हाथीको गजराज सुप्रतीकने उसी प्रकार रोक दिया, जैसे तटकी भूमि समुद्रको आगे बढ़नेसे रोके रहती है || ४४ हू ।। वारितं प्रेक्ष्य नागेन्द्रं दशार्णस्य महात्मन:

sañjaya uvāca | dadhāra supratīko 'pi veleva makarālayam | vāritaṃ prekṣya nāgendraṃ daśārṇasya mahātmanā ||

Sañjaya said: Even Supratīka held him back—just as the shoreline holds back the ocean, the abode of sea-creatures. Seeing the lordly elephant thus checked by the great-souled warrior of Daśārṇa, the battle’s momentum was arrested, as if nature itself had set a limit to unchecked force.

वारितम्restrained / stopped
वारितम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootवारित (√वार्/√वृ 'to restrain, prevent')
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular
प्रेक्ष्यhaving seen
प्रेक्ष्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रेक्ष्य (√ईक्ष् 'to see' with preverb प्र-)
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), true
नागेन्द्रम्the lord of elephants / elephant-king
नागेन्द्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनागेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दशार्णस्यof the Daśārṇa (king/country)
दशार्णस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootदशार्ण
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
महात्मनःof the great-souled (one)
महात्मनः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहात्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
S
Supratīka
N
Nāgendra (elephant-king)
D
Daśārṇa (region/kingdom)
O
Ocean (makarālaya)
S
Shoreline/coast (velā)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights that even immense force must meet a boundary: rightful resistance and disciplined restraint can check overwhelming power, just as the shore sets a limit to the sea. In the ethical frame of battle, strength is meaningful when governed by control and order.

Sañjaya describes an elephant-king being stopped in the battlefield. Supratīka restrains the oncoming elephant, and the Daśārṇa warrior’s action is compared to a shoreline halting the ocean’s advance.