Shloka 30

Bhīmasena’s Kalinga Engagement and the Approach of Bhīṣma (भीमसेन-कालिङ्ग-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

नराश्चकायान्‌ निर्भिद्य लौहानि कवचानि च । निपेतुर्विमला: शक्‍्त्यो वीरबाहुभिरपिंता:

Transliteration

narāś ca kāyān nirbhidya lauhāni kavacāni ca | nipetur vimalāḥ śaktyo vīrabāhubhir apintāḥ ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。「英雄たちの強き腕から投げ放たれた清らかな槍は、人の身を貫き、鉄の胴鎧さえ裂いた。しかして役目を果たすと、地に落ちた。」この一節は戦の陰惨な必然を語る。勇と技は破壊の器となり、その代価は肉体と甲冑の双方に刻まれる。

Word by Word

• नराः: men, warriors
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• कायान्: bodies
• कायान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• निर्भिद्य: having pierced, splitting through
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्भिद् (नि + भिद्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• लौहानि: iron (made of iron)
• लौहानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कवचानि: armours, cuirasses
• कवचानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• निपेतुः: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• विमलाः: bright, stainless
• विमलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• शक्त्यः: spears, javelins
• शक्त्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• वीरबाहुभिः: by the heroes' arms (by strong-armed warriors)
• वीरबाहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपिंताः: hurled, cast
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पि (पिनोति/पिन्वति) / पि (to hurl/impel) → अपित (ppp) + आः
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• śakti (spear/javelin weapon)
• kavaca (armor/cuirass)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of war: even heroic strength and shining weapons culminate in bodily harm and death. It implicitly invites reflection on kṣatriya-duty and the ethical weight of violence—valor may be praised, yet its fruits are grievous and irreversible.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes intense fighting in which spears (śaktis) thrown by powerful warriors pierce combatants and break through iron armor; after striking their targets, the weapons fall to the ground.