Shloka 29

भीमसेनस्य गदायुद्ध-प्रभावः

The Battlefield Impact of Bhīmasena’s Mace Combat

Devanagari script

परिघाणां प्रदीप्तानां मुदूगराणां च मारिष । प्रासानां भिन्दिपालानां निस्त्रिंशानां च संयुगे,आर्य! भरतनन्दन! भूपाल! उस रणभूमिमें गिरे हुए उद्दधीप्त परिघ, मुदगर, प्रास, भिन्दिपाल, खड़्ग, फरसे, तीखे तोमर, सुवर्णमय कवच, ध्वज, ढाल, सोनेके डंडोंसे विभूषित छत्र, व्यजन, चाबुक, जोते, कोड़े और अंकुश ढेर-के-ढेर बिखरे दिखायी देते थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | parighāṇāṃ pradīptānāṃ mudgarāṇāṃ ca māriṣa | prāsānāṃ bhindipālānāṃ nistriṃśānāṃ ca saṃyuge ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「おお、尊き御方よ。戦のただ中、その戦場には、灼ける鉄の棍棒、メース、槍、ビンディパーラ（重い投げ槍）、そして剣が、幾重にも山となって散り伏していた——武人が怒りのままに相まみえるとき、戦の凄惨さと、その後に来る破滅とを、黙して証しするかのように。」

Word by Word

परिघाणाम्of iron clubs/bars (parighas)

प्रदीप्तानाम्of blazing/brightly shining

मुदूगराणाम्of maces (mudgaras)

चand

मारिषO venerable one / sir

प्रासानाम्of spears (prāsas)

भिन्दिपालानाम्of bhindipālas (javelin-like weapons)

निस्त्रिंशानाम्of swords (nistriṁśas)

चand

संयुगेin battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by the address māriṣa)

parigha (iron club)

mudgara (mace)

prāsa (spear)

bhindipāla (javelin)

nistriṃśa (sword)

saṃyuga (battlefield)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark aftermath of war: weapons—once symbols of valor and duty—become scattered debris, reminding the listener that even ‘righteous’ warfare carries grave destruction and demands moral sobriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what is seen on the battlefield: heaps of various weapons lying about in the midst of combat, emphasizing the intensity and scale of the fighting.