Shloka 15

नृशंस-लक्षणनिर्णयः | Determining the Marks of Cruel Conduct

Nṛśaṃsa

Devanagari script

निहताश्नैव भग्नाक्ष पाण्डवेन यशस्विना । चरता बलमास्थाय पाकशासनिना मृथधे

Transliteration

nihatāś caiva bhagnāś ca pāṇḍavena yaśasvinā | caratā balam āsthāya pākaśāsaninā yudhi ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਉਸ ਯੁੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਕ-ਦੰਡਧਾਰੀ ਇੰਦਰ ਵਾਂਗ ਯਸ਼ਸਵੀ ਪਾਂਡਵ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਨੇ, ਆਪਣੇ ਬਲ ਦਾ ਆਸਰਾ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਰਣਭੂਮੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਚਰਦਿਆਂ, ਉਹਨਾਂ ਸਭ ਸੈਨਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਤੋੜ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਭਜਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ।

Word by Word

• निहतान्: slain
• निहतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (√हन् + नि, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अश्नैव: as if by a thunderbolt / instantly (lit. 'like a bolt')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशन + एव

• भग्नान्: broken, routed
• भग्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (√भञ्ज्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• पाण्डवेन: by the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यशस्विना: by the glorious/famed (one)
• यशस्विना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• चरता: while moving/roaming (in battle)
• चरता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर (√चर्, शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बलम्: strength, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having relied on / having taken support of
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्था (आ + √स्था, ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• पाकशासनिना: by (him who is) the chastiser of Pāka (Indra)
• पाकशासनिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाकशासनिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Arjuna
• Pandu
• Indra (Pakaśāsani)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya valor aligned with duty: decisive action, steadiness, and strategic mobility in battle, framed through a dharmic ideal of protecting order—symbolized by comparing Arjuna’s effectiveness to Indra’s.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes Arjuna’s battlefield performance: moving across the field, relying on his strength, he kills many and breaks the opposing forces, causing them to scatter—his prowess likened to Indra (Pākaśāsani).