Shloka 16

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ९६: सौभद्रस्य आक्रमणम्, अलम्बुसस्य प्रतिविधानम्

Abhimanyu’s assault; Alambusa’s counter-engagement

Devanagari script

कुण्जरैश्व सदा मत्तै: षपट्सहस्रैः प्रहारिभि: । अभ्यरक्षन्त सहिता राक्षसेन्द्रं घटोत्कचम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

kuñjaraiś ca sadā mattaiḥ ṣaṭ-sahasraiḥ prahāribhiḥ |

abhyarakṣanta sahitā rākṣasendraṃ ghaṭotkacam ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସେମାନେ ସମସ୍ତେ ଏକତ୍ର ହୋଇ ରାକ୍ଷସେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଘଟୋତ୍କଚଙ୍କୁ ରକ୍ଷା କଲେ; ଏବଂ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଥିଲେ ଛଅ ହଜାର ଗଜରାଜ—ସଦା ମଦୋନ୍ମତ୍ତ ଓ ପ୍ରହାରକୁଶଳ।

Word by Word

• कुञ्जरैः: with elephants
• कुञ्जरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• मत्तैः: maddened/intoxicated
• मत्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• षट्: six
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (as numeral stem in compound), Singular (stem)

• सहस्रैः: with thousands (i.e., in thousands; here: six-thousands)
• सहस्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रहारिभिः: striking/assailing; attackers
• प्रहारिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभ्यरक्षन्त: they protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-रक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सहिता: together, united
• सहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural (intended; form should be सहिताः)

• राक्षसेन्द्रम्: the lord of the Rakshasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस-इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घटोत्कचम्: Ghaṭotkaca
• घटोत्कचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: घटोत्कच
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Ghaṭotkaca
• Rākṣasa (as a class/people)
• Kuñjara (war-elephants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, strength is not merely individual ferocity; it is sustained by coordinated protection, disciplined resources, and collective resolve. The verse highlights the strategic and ethical reality that safeguarding a key warrior is a shared duty within an army.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes how a group of warriors jointly guarded Ghaṭotkaca, surrounding him with six thousand musth war-elephants skilled in striking, creating a formidable defensive formation in the battle.