Shloka 5

Adhyāya 143: Nocturnal duels—Nākuli and Citraseṇa; Vṛṣasena’s assault; Duḥśāsana vs Prativindhya

Devanagari script

सम्प्राप्प भारतीमध्यं तलघोषसमाकुलम्‌ । असिशक्तिगदापूर्णमप्लवं सलिलं यथा

Transliteration

samprāpya bhāratī-madhyaṁ talaghoṣa-samākulam | asi-śakti-gadā-pūrṇam aplavaṁ salilaṁ yathā

Translation

サञ्जयは語った。バーラタ軍のまさに中央へ踏み入ると、掌を打ち鳴らす雷のような轟きと鬨の声が渦巻き、そこは剣・槍・棍棒で埋め尽くされていた。まるで筏も渡しもない深い洪水のように、越え難いのである。この譬えは戦の道義的危険を示す。ひとたびその中心に投げ込まれれば、戦は渡り難い急流となり、生き残りはただの力ではなく、沈着さと技量、そしてダルマ（正法）に立つ堅い決意にかかっている。

Word by Word

• सम्प्राप्य: having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु: आप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• भारतीम्: the (river) Bhāratī
• भारतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अध्यम्: the middle (region)
• अध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तलघोषसमाकुलम्: filled with the din of (striking) palms/hands
• तलघोषसमाकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असि-शक्ति-गदा-पूर्णम्: full of swords, spears, and maces
• असि-शक्ति-गदा-पूर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अप्लवम्: without a boat/raft; not fordable
• अप्लवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata host (Kuru army)
• sword (asi)
• spear/lance (śakti)
• mace (gadā)
• water/flood (salila)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a moral-psychological simile: the battlefield’s center is like a raftless flood—once entered, it is difficult to cross. It highlights the ethical gravity of war and the need for disciplined courage and right judgment amid chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior (implied from context) penetrating into the midst of the Kuru host, which is roaring with loud sounds and densely armed with swords, spears, and maces—so dangerous that it resembles an uncrossable torrent.