Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

ततो मुमोच कालिड्: शक्ति तामकरोद्‌ द्विधा । खड्गेन पृथुना मध्ये भानुमन्तमथाच्छिनत्‌

Transliteration

tato mumoca kāliṅgaḥ śaktiṃ tām akarod dvidhā | khaḍgena pṛthunā madhye bhānumantam athācchinat ||

Translation

ତେବେ କଲିଙ୍ଗରାଜପୁତ୍ର ଶକ୍ତି ଛାଡ଼ିଲା; କିନ୍ତୁ ଭୀମସେନ ତାହାକୁ ଦୁଇ ଖଣ୍ଡ କରିଦେଲେ ଏବଂ ପରେ ନିଜ ବିଶାଳ ଖଡ୍ଗରେ ଭାନୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ଚିରିଦେଲେ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• मुमोच: released, hurled
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• कालिङ्गः: the Kalinga (prince/warrior)
• कालिङ्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिङ्ग
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शक्तिम्: a spear/javelin (śakti-weapon)
• शक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• अकरोत्: made, rendered
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• द्विधा: into two, in two parts
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा

• खड्गेन: with a sword
• खड्गेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• पृथुना: broad, large
• पृथुना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथु
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• भानुमन्तम्: Bhānumant (proper name)
• भानुमन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानुमन्त्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अथ: then, and then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अच्छिनत्: cut, severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaliṅga prince (Kaliṅga-rāja-kumāra)
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Bhānumān
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• khaḍga (sword)
• Kaliṅga

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh immediacy of kṣatriya-dharma in war: a warrior must respond decisively to lethal threats, and prowess combined with presence of mind determines outcomes; ethical reflection lies in recognizing war’s irreversible consequences even when actions follow battlefield duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Kaliṅga prince hurls a śakti (spear) at Bhīma. Bhīma cuts the spear into two and then strikes down Bhānumān by cleaving him through the middle with a broad sword, as Sañjaya reports the events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.