Shloka 101

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

स तत्र गत्वा शैनेयो जवेन जयतां वर: । पार्थपार्षतयो: पार्ष्णिं जग्राह पुरुषर्षभ:,विजयी वीरोंमें श्रेष्ठ पुरुषप्रवर सात्यकिने बड़े वेगसे वहाँ पहुँचकर भीमसेन और धृष्टद्युम्नके पृष्ठपोषणका कार्य सँभाला

Transliteration

sa tatra gatvā śaineyo javena jayatāṃ varaḥ | pārtha-pārṣatayor pārṣṇiṃ jagrāha puruṣarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അപ്പോൾ ജയികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ശൈനേയൻ (സാത്യകി) വേഗത്തിൽ അവിടെ എത്തി; പുരുഷർഷഭനായി പാർത്ഥന്റെയും പാർഷതന്റെയും (ധൃഷ്ടദ്യുമ്നന്റെ) സേനയുടെ പിൻഭാഗം കാക്കാനുള്ള ചുമതല ഏറ്റെടുത്തു.

Word by Word

सःhe

तत्रthere

गत्वाhaving gone

शैनेयःSātyaki (son of Śini)

जवेनwith speed

जयताम्may (they) conquer / of those who conquer

वरःbest, excellent

पार्थof Pārtha (Arjuna)

पार्षतयोःof the two Pārṣatas (Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Śikhaṇḍin)

पार्ष्णिम्heel; rear/behind (as ‘at the heel’)

जग्राहseized, took hold of

पुरुषर्षभःbull among men, best of men

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śaineya (Sātyaki)

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)

Bhīmasena

Kurukṣetra 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 dharma in warfare as disciplined responsibility: true valor includes protecting comrades and sustaining the formation, not merely personal heroics. Sātyaki’s action models loyal service and strategic restraint for the sake of the collective good.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sātyaki rushes to the critical point in the battle and assumes the rear-guard role—securing the back line of Arjuna and Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s side—thereby supporting Bhīma and Dhṛṣṭadyumna and preventing the enemy from exploiting a vulnerable flank or rear.