Shloka 40

द्रोणकर्णयोः निशि संप्रहारः — Night Engagement with Droṇa and Karṇa

Devanagari script

बीभत्सुर्भीमसेनेन सात्वतेन च रक्षित:

Transliteration

bībhatsur bhīmasenena sātvatena ca rakṣitaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Arjuna—called Bībhatsu—was being protected by Bhīmasena and by the Sātvata (Kṛṣṇa), as the battle’s peril pressed in. The line underscores the ethical ideal of comradeship in war: even the greatest warrior stands firm through loyal guardianship and shared responsibility.

Word by Word

• बीभत्सुः: Arjuna (the dreadful one)
• बीभत्सुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीभत्सु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीमसेनेन: by Bhimasena (Bhima)
• भीमसेनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सात्वतेन: by the Sātvata (Krishna)
• सात्वतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रक्षितः: protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bībhatsu (Arjuna)
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Sātvata (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even heroic excellence depends on dharmic support-systems—loyal allies who protect one another. The verse highlights the virtue of mutual guardianship and shared duty in the chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna (Bībhatsu) is being guarded on the battlefield by Bhīma and by Kṛṣṇa (the Sātvata), indicating coordinated protection around a key warrior amid intense fighting.