Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

सोअन्तरायुधिन हत्वा राजपुत्रमरिंदम: । गुरु भारसहं स्कन्धे नागस्यासिमपातयत्‌

Transliteration

so ’ntarāyudhinaṃ hatvā rājaputram arindamaḥ | guru-bhāra-sahaṃ skandhe nāgasya āsīm apātayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Tendo matado o príncipe do rei de Kaliṅga, que combatia do alto de um elefante, Bhīmasena—subjugador de inimigos—fez então descer sua espada pesada, capaz de suportar grande peso, sobre o ombro daquele elefante.

Word by Word

• सः: he (Bhimasena)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्तरायुधिन्: fighting from within/inside (i.e., mounted, fighting from atop)
• अन्तरायुधिन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तरायुधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• राजपुत्रम्: the prince (king’s son)
• राजपुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अरिंदमः: crusher of foes
• अरिंदमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुभारसहम्: able to bear heavy weight
• गुरुभारसहम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुभारसह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्कन्धे: on the shoulder
• स्कन्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नागस्य: of the elephant
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• असिम्: sword
• असिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपातयत्: caused to fall / struck down / brought down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (पतति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Causative (णिच्), Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• भीमसेन (Bhīmasena)
• कलिङ्गराजपुत्र (Prince of the king of Kaliṅga)
• नाग (war-elephant)
• असि (sword)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim ethical reality of dharma in war: a warrior acts decisively against immediate threats, and in the momentum of battle even the mount (the war-elephant) becomes part of the hostile force to be neutralized. It reflects valor and duty rather than personal cruelty, while still exposing the cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, after killing the elephant-mounted prince of Kaliṅga, strikes the elephant itself on the shoulder with his heavy sword, continuing the assault amid the chaos of the Kurukṣetra battle.