Shloka 44

अश्ववन्देषु नागेषु रथानीकेषु चाभि भू: । पदातीनां च संघेषु विनिघ्नन्‌ शोणितोक्षित:,शक्तिशाली भीमसेन घोड़ों, हाथियों, रथों और पैदलोंके समूहोंमें घुसकर सबका संहार करते हुए रक्तसे भीग गये

aśvavandeṣu nāgeṣu rathānīkeṣu cābhibhūḥ | padātīnāṃ ca saṃgheṣu vinighnan śoṇitokṣitaḥ ||

ശക്തിമാനായ ഭീമസേനൻ കുതിരകളുടെയും ആനകളുടെയും രഥസേനകളുടെയും പാദാതികളുടെ കൂട്ടങ്ങളുടെയും നടുവിലേക്ക് കുതിച്ചുകയറി അവരെ നിരന്തരം വധിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ രക്തത്തിൽ നനഞ്ഞു.

अश्ववन्देषुamong the horse-troops/horsemen
अश्ववन्देषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्ववन्द (अश्व + वन्द)
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
नागेषुamong the elephants
नागेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootनाग
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
रथानीकेषुamong the chariot-formations
रथानीकेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरथानीक (रथ + अनीक)
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अभिभूःoverpowered/overcame
अभिभूः:
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-भू (भू धातु)
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular
पदातीनाम्of the foot-soldiers
पदातीनाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootपदाति
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
संघेषुin the groups/hosts
संघेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसंघ
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
विनिघ्नन्striking down, slaying
विनिघ्नन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-नि-हन् (हन् धातु)
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
शोणितोक्षितःsprinkled/soaked with blood
शोणितोक्षितः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशोणित-उक्षित (शोणित + उक्षित)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
H
horses
E
elephants
C
chariots
I
infantry formations

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the warrior’s effectiveness in battle while implicitly pointing to the ethical gravity of war: even when action aligns with kṣatriya-duty, it is inseparable from suffering and bloodshed, inviting reflection on responsibility and consequence.

Sañjaya describes a fierce assault in which the warrior breaks into enemy groupings—cavalry, elephants, chariot-units, and infantry masses—cutting them down so extensively that he becomes drenched in blood.