Shloka 39

Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation

Devanagari script

नागराजोपमैहस्तैनगिराक्षिप्य संयुगे | व्यदृश्यन्त महाराज सम्भग्ना रथकूबरा:

Transliteration

nāgarājopamaiḥ hastair nagirākṣipya saṁyuge | vyadṛśyanta mahārāja sambhagnā rathakūbarāḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「大王よ、戦いのただ中で、蛇王にも比すべき手の力で彼らは戦車をつかみ上げて投げ飛ばし、多くの車の轅や轭が砕け折れるのが見えた。」

Word by Word

• नागराजोपमैः: with (hands) comparable to serpent-kings
• नागराजोपमैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागराजोपम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हस्तैः: with hands
• हस्तैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नगिरान्: mountains
• नगिरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगिर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आक्षिप्य: having hurled / having thrown
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-क्षिप्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• व्यदृश्यन्त: were seen / appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सम्भग्नाः: broken / shattered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-भञ्ज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथकूबराः: chariot-poles (chariot-shafts)
• रथकूबराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथकूबर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• ratha (chariot)
• rathakūbara (chariot-pole/drawbar)
• nāgarāja (serpent-king, as a simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war, even when framed as kṣatriya duty, manifests as tangible devastation—broken chariots and ruined instruments—inviting reflection on the ethical weight and consequences of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that in the battle warriors of immense strength seized and hurled chariots, and many chariot-poles were seen shattered on the battlefield.