Shloka 58
Devanagari script
ततो मुहूर्तादिव तद् गजानीकमवध्यत
Transliteration
tato muhūrtād iva tad gajānīkam avadhyata
Translation
Sañjaya said: Then, as though within a mere moment, that elephant-corps was struck down and rendered ineffective—an image of how swiftly massed power collapses when met by decisive force in the chaos of war.
Word by Word
ततःthereafter, then
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्
FormAvyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')
मुहूर्तात्from/after a short while (a muhūrta)
मुहूर्तात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमुहूर्त
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
इवas if, like
इव:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
FormAvyaya
तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
गजानीकम्the elephant-corps, elephant host
गजानीकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगज + अनीक
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अवध्यतwas slain / was killed
अवध्यत:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootवध्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), Passive (karmaṇi), 3rd person, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaG
gajānīka (elephant-corps)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
The verse underscores the fragility of worldly strength in war: even a formidable, organized force can collapse rapidly when conditions turn—inviting reflection on impermanence and the grave cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports that an elephant division previously mentioned is quickly destroyed/neutralized, emphasizing the sudden reversals typical of the Kurukṣetra battle.