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Shloka 24

भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal

प्रक्षीणसायका: शूरा निहताश्चा: श्रमातुरा: । विलयं समनुप्राप्तास्तक्षमाणा: परस्परम्‌,शूरवीर योद्धाओंके पास बाण समाप्त हो गये। उनके घोड़े मारे गये। वे परिश्रमसे पीड़ित हो परस्पर घात-प्रतिघात करते हुए विनष्ट हो गये

prakṣīṇasāyakāḥ śūrā nihatāś cāśramāturāḥ | vilayaṃ samanuprāptās takṣamāṇāḥ parasparam ||

ശൂരന്മാരുടെ അമ്പുകൾ തീർന്നു, അവരുടെ കുതിരകൾ കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു; ക്ഷീണത്താൽ പീഡിതരായിട്ടും അവർ പരസ്പരം പ്രഹരിക്കുകയും പ്രതിപ്രഹരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ട് ഒടുവിൽ നാശത്തെ പ്രാപിച്ചു.

प्रक्षीणसायकाःwith arrows exhausted
प्रक्षीणसायकाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रक्षीण-सायक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शूराःheroes/warriors
शूराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशूर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
निहताःslain
निहताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनि-हन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अश्वाःhorses
अश्वाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
श्रमातुराःafflicted by fatigue
श्रमातुराः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रम-आतुर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विलयम्destruction/dissolution
विलयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविलय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
समनुप्राप्ताःhaving reached/come to
समनुप्राप्ताः:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-अनु-प्र-आप्
FormPerfect (periphrastic/resultative sense via past participle), Plural, Passive (PPP used adjectivally)
तक्षमाणाःstriking/hacking (at)
तक्षमाणाः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootतक्ष्
FormPresent (active participle), Plural, Parasmaipada
परस्परम्each other/mutually
परस्परम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरस्पर

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
arrows (sāyaka)
H
horses (aśva)
W
warriors (śūrāḥ)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the harsh reality of war: even heroic resolve cannot prevent collapse when resources and vitality are depleted. It highlights impermanence and the ethical gravity of conflict—valor persists, yet the outcome is mutual ruin.

Sañjaya reports that in the thick of battle many warriors have run out of arrows; their horses have been killed; they are exhausted, yet they continue to strike each other until they are destroyed.