Shloka 52

Devanagari script

ततो भीमो महाबाहु: सात्यकिश्न महारथः । अभिवाद्य गुरुं ज्येष्ठ॑ मार्गणै: क्षतविक्षतौ

Transliteration

tato bhīmo mahābāhuḥ sātyakiś ca mahārathaḥ | abhivādya guruṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ mārgaiḥ kṣatavikṣatau ||

Translation

Then Bhīma, the mighty-armed, and Sātyaki, the great chariot-warrior, having paid respectful salutation to their elder and revered teacher, stood wounded and torn by arrows—yet still composed in conduct, showing that even amid the fury of battle one must not abandon reverence toward elders and gurus.

Word by Word

ततःthen; thereafter

भीमःBhima

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed (one)

सात्यकिःSatyaki

चand

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

अभिवाद्यhaving saluted

गुरुम्the teacher

ज्येष्ठम्the elder; senior

मार्गणैःwith arrows

क्षत-विक्षतौboth wounded and mangled (i.e., badly injured)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīma

Sātyaki

guru (elder teacher)

arrows

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in violent conflict, dharma requires restraint in conduct: reverence toward elders and one’s teacher is upheld as a moral duty, showing that ethical obligations do not automatically vanish in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma and Sātyaki, though struck and lacerated by many arrows, still offer respectful salutation to their senior guru/elder figure before continuing the battle situation.