Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

घण्टाश्न विविधा राजन्‌ हेमगर्भान्‌ त्सरूनपि | पतत: पातितांश्रैव पश्याम: सह सादिभि:

Transliteration

ghaṇṭāś ca vividhā rājan hema-garbhān tsarūn api | patataḥ pātitāṁś caiva paśyāmaḥ saha sādibhiḥ ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਰਾਜਨ! ਅਸੀਂ ਅਨੇਕਾਂ ਕਿਸਮਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਘੰਟੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਸੋਨੇ ਦੀ ਮੂਠ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਤਲਵਾਰਾਂ ਵੀ ਵੇਖਦੇ ਹਾਂ—ਕੁਝ ਡਿੱਗਦੀਆਂ, ਕੁਝ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਹੀ ਡਾਹੀਆਂ ਹੋਈਆਂ—ਮਿਆਨਾਂ ਸਮੇਤ।

Word by Word

• घण्टाश्च: bells
• घण्टाश्च: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• विविधाः: various
• विविधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• हेमगर्भान्: gold-filled / having golden cores
• हेमगर्भान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेमगर्भ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• त्सरून्: sword-hilts (tsarus)
• त्सरून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्सरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पततः: of (him/them) falling
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पातितान्: caused to fall / felled
• पातितान्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पश्यामः: we see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present, First, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• सादिभिः: with the trappings/appendages (etc.)
• सादिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सादि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• bells (ghaṇṭāḥ)
• swords (tsarūn)
• golden hilts (hema-garbha)
• scabbards/sheaths (sādibhiḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark impermanence of martial glory: even splendid, gold-adorned weapons and ornaments become scattered debris. It implicitly cautions against pride in power and highlights the human cost and futility that accompany adharma-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra what is visible on the battlefield: bells, swords with golden hilts, and their scabbards—some still falling, others already knocked down—indicating intense fighting and the disarray left in its wake.