Mahabharata 6.91.17 — Bhishma Parva, Adhyaya 91, Shloka 17

Bhagadattā’s Deployment Against Ghaṭotkaca; Elephant-Corps Escalation

Devanagari script

महोदरस्तु समरे भीम॑ विव्याध पत्रिभि: | नवभिर्वज्ञसंकाशैर्नमुचिं वृत्रहा यथा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mahodarastu samare bhīmaṁ vivyādha patribhiḥ | navabhir vajrasaṅkāśair namuciṁ vṛtrahā yathā ||

Translation

サञ्जयは語った。激戦のただ中で、マホーダラはインドラの金剛杵のごとく輝く九本の矢でビーмаを射抜いた。かつてヴリトラを討った者が、魔ナムチを打ったそのように。

Word by Word

• महोदरः: Mahodara
• महोदरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पत्रिभिः: with arrows
• पत्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नवभिः: with nine
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वज्रसंकाशैः: resembling a thunderbolt
• वज्रसंकाशैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रसंकाश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नमुचिम्: Namuci
• नमुचिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमुचि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वृत्रहा: Vṛtra-slayer (Indra)
• वृत्रहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्रहन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mahodara
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Indra (Vṛtrahā)
• Namuci
• Vṛtra
• arrows
• vajra (thunderbolt)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the epic’s martial ethic: in war, a kṣatriya’s duty is tested through courage, endurance, and skill. By invoking Indra’s thunderbolt-like strike, it frames battlefield action as a severe trial of strength and resolve rather than mere spectacle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Mahodara, during the battle, shoots Bhīma with nine powerful arrows. The attack is compared to Indra (the slayer of Vṛtra) striking the demon Namuci, emphasizing the intensity and effectiveness of Mahodara’s assault.