Shloka 12

अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः

Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle

Devanagari script

भीमो<थ सात्वतस्यार्थे बाह्लीक॑ नवभि: शरै:

Transliteration

bhīmo ’tha sātvatasya arthe bāhlīkaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīma, acting for the sake of the Sātvata warrior, struck Bāhlīka with nine arrows—an intervention driven by loyalty to an ally amid the ruthless momentum of battle.

Word by Word

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सात्वतस्य: of the Sātvata (Krishna/Vrishni hero)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अर्थे: for the sake (in the interest)
• अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• बाह्लीकम्: Bāhlīka (the king named Bahlika)
• बाह्लीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्लीक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नवभिः: with nine
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīma
• Sātvata
• Bāhlīka
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within the harsh ethics of war, the verse highlights a kṣatriya’s obligation to protect allies and act decisively for a comrade’s welfare—loyalty and responsibility guiding action amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma intervenes on behalf of a Sātvata warrior and wounds Bāhlīka by shooting him with nine arrows, marking a tactical and protective move in the ongoing battle.