Shloka 40

Devanagari script

शोणितोदां रथावर्ता हस्तिग्राहसमाकुलाम्‌ । नरमीनाश्वनक्रान्तां केशशैवलशाद्धलाम्‌

Transliteration

śoṇitodāṁ rathāvartā hastigrāhasamākulām | naramīnāśvanakrāntāṁ keśaśaivalśād-dhalām ||

Translation

ਉਸ ਨਦੀ ਦਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਲਹੂ ਸੀ; ਰਥਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਹੀਏ ਭੰਵਰਾਂ ਵਰਗੇ ਲੱਗਦੇ ਸਨ; ਹਾਥੀ ਗ੍ਰਾਹਾਂ ਵਾਂਗ ਉਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਰੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਨ। ਮਨੁੱਖ ਮੱਛੀਆਂ ਵਰਗੇ, ਘੋੜੇ ਨਕਰਾਂ ਵਰਗੇ; ਅਤੇ ਵਾਲ ਕਾਈ ਤੇ ਘਾਹ ਵਾਂਗ ਦਿਸਦੇ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• शोणितोदाम्: having blood as water
• शोणितोदाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोणित-उद (प्रातिपदिक: शोणित + उदक/उद)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• रथावर्ताम्: with whirlpools like chariots
• रथावर्ताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथ-आवर्त (प्रातिपदिक: रथ + आवर्त)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• हस्तिग्राहसमाकुलाम्: crowded with elephant-like crocodiles
• हस्तिग्राहसमाकुलाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्ति-ग्राह-समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक: हस्ति + ग्राह + समाकुल)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नरमीनाश्वनक्रान्ताम्: overrun with men, fish, horses, and crocodiles
• नरमीनाश्वनक्रान्ताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर-मीना-श्व-नक्र-आक्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक: नर + मीना + अश्व + नक्र + आक्रान्त)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• केशशैवलशाद्वलाम्: with hair as algae and grass
• केशशैवलशाद्वलाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केश-शैवल-शाद्वल (प्रातिपदिक: केश + शैवल + शाद्वल)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Yama
• Yamaloka
• Vaitaraṇī
• chariots
• elephants
• horses
• warriors
• bows
• arrows
• maces (gadā)
• iron clubs (parigha)
• parasols (chatra)
• banners/standards (dhvaja)
• garlands (hāra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the Vaitaraṇī metaphor to frame war’s moral testing: steadfastness and inner discipline (self-mastery) make even terrifying passages ‘crossable,’ while cowardice and lack of self-control render the same ordeal overwhelming. It implicitly praises courage aligned with dharma and warns that inner weakness magnifies fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a horrific battlefield scene: Bhīma’s slaughter has produced a ‘river of blood’ filled with bodies, weapons, and war-gear, described through extended aquatic similes. The river is said to flow toward Yama’s realm, likened to the Vaitaraṇī that souls must cross.