Shloka 94

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

Devanagari script

एवं संनोद्य सर्वाणि स्वान्यनीकानि पार्षत: । भीमसेनस्य जग्राह पार्ष्णि सत्पुरुषैर्वत:,इस प्रकार ट्रुपदपुत्र धृष्टद्युम्नने अपनी सारी सेनाओंको युद्धके लिये प्रेरित करके श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंके साथ भीमसेनके पृष्ठभागकी रक्षाका कार्य हाथमें लिया

Transliteration

evaṁ saṁnodya sarvāṇi svāny anīkāni pārṣataḥ | bhīmasenasya jagrāha pārṣṇi satpuruṣair vataḥ ||

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പൃഷതപുത്രനായ ധൃഷ്ടദ്യുമ്നൻ തന്റെ എല്ലാ സൈന്യവ്യൂഹങ്ങളെയും യുദ്ധത്തിനായി ഉത്സാഹിപ്പിച്ച്, സത്പുരുഷന്മാരോടൊപ്പം ഭീമസേനന്റെ പിന്‍ഭാഗം കാക്കാനുള്ള ചുമതല ഏറ്റെടുത്തു.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

संनोद्यhaving urged/impelled

सर्वाणिall

स्वानिhis own

अनीकानिarmies/divisions

पार्षतःthe son of Pṛṣata (Dhr̥ṣṭadyumna)

भीमसेनस्यof Bhīmasena

जग्राहtook up/undertook

पार्ष्णिम्the rear/heel-side (rear-guard position)

सत्पुरुषैःwith good/noble men

वृतःsurrounded/accompanied

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata, son of Pṛṣata/Drupada’s line)

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Pāṇḍava army divisions (anīkāni)

Satpuruṣa warriors (noble allies)

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?

Effective dharmic leadership in war combines motivation of one’s forces with protective responsibility—ensuring that a principal warrior is not exposed to rear attacks, and that noble companions share the burden of safeguarding the vulnerable flank.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna first rallies his own troop-divisions for battle and then assumes the role of guarding Bhīma’s rear, accompanied by other honorable warriors, indicating a tactical rear-guard arrangement during the fighting.