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Shloka 82

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९

Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces

हत्वैनं पुनरायाति नागानन्यान्‌ प्रहारिण:,“इस निषादपुत्रका वध करके वे पुनः प्रहार करनेवाले दूसरे-दूसरे हाथियोंपर आक्रमण कर रहे हैं। देखो, भीमसेन शक्ति और तोमरोंके समूहोंसे काले मेघोंकी घटाके समान हाथियोंको, जिनके कंधोंपर महावत बैठे हैं, मार रहे हैं

hatvainaṃ punar āyāti nāgān anyān prahāriṇaḥ |

ആ നൈഷാദപുത്രനെ വധിച്ച ശേഷം അവർ വീണ്ടും മടങ്ങിവന്ന്, പ്രഹരിക്കാൻ ഒരുങ്ങിയ മറ്റുമറ്റു ആനകളെ തുടർച്ചയായി ആക്രമിക്കുന്നു। നോക്കുക—മഹാബാഹു ഭീമസേനൻ ശക്തിയും തോമരങ്ങളും മഴപോലെ ചൊരിഞ്ഞ്, കറുത്ത മേഘക്കൂട്ടംപോലെയുള്ള, തോളുകളിൽ മഹാവതന്മാർ ഇരിക്കുന്ന ആനകളെ വീഴ്ത്തുന്നു।

हत्वाhaving slain
हत्वा:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (√हन्)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral), non-finite
एनम्him/this one
एनम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootइदम् (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
आयातिcomes/returns
आयाति:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootआ-या (√या)
Formpresent, indicative, parasmaipada, 3rd, singular
नागान्elephants
नागान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनाग
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
अन्यान्other
अन्यान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
प्रहारिणःstrikers/attackers
प्रहारिणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रहारिन्
Formmasculine, nominative, plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
N
Niṣāda-putra (son of a Niṣāda)
W
war-elephants (nāga)
M
mahouts (mahāvat)
W
weapons: śakti (spear), tomara (javelin)

Educational Q&A

The verse foregrounds the grim ethic of battlefield duty: relentless action and repeated assault are praised as martial effectiveness, yet the mention of a Niṣāda’s son hints at the moral strain of war—where social boundaries and the value of life are tested amid the demands of kṣatriya combat.

Sañjaya reports that after killing a Niṣāda’s son, the fighters return to attack more elephants. Bhīma is depicted as overwhelmingly powerful, striking down successive war-elephants—along with their mounted mahouts—using spears and tomara-javelins, compared to a dense bank of dark clouds.