Shloka 12

Bhīmasena’s Kalinga Engagement and the Approach of Bhīṣma (भीमसेन-कालिङ्ग-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

प्रणेदुर्भिन्नमर्माणो निपेतुश्च गतासव: । प्राद्रवन्त दिश: केचिन्नदन्तो भैरवान्‌ रवान्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | praṇedur bhinnamarmāṇo nipetuś ca gatāsavaḥ | prādravanta diśaḥ kecin nadanto bhairavān ravān |

Translation

Санджая сказал: Некоторые, с разбитыми суставами и уязвимыми местами, громко трубили и затем падали на землю бездыханными. Другие бежали во все стороны, издавая страшные вопли. Картина подчёркивает жестокий напор битвы: даже самые могучие боевые слоны, некогда символ царской власти и выучки, под силой оружия обращаются в панику, падение и смерть.

Word by Word

• प्रणेदुः: they roared/cried out
• प्रणेदुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नद्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भिन्न-मर्माणः: with vital parts (marmas) pierced/broken
• भिन्न-मर्माणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्नमर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निपेतुः: they fell down
• निपेतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• गत-असवः: lifeless (whose breath/life has gone)
• गत-असवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गतासु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राद्रवन्त: they ran forth
• प्राद्रवन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-द्रु
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• केचित्: some (of them)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नदन्तः: roaring
• नदन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नदत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Shatr (present active participle)

• भैरवान्: terrible
• भैरवान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रवान्: cries/sounds
• रवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• war-elephants (gaja)
• marman (vital points)
• directions/quarters (diś)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of war: strength, training, and royal might (symbolized by elephants) cannot prevent suffering and death when violence escalates. It implicitly cautions against the delusion of control and the ethical cost of warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes battlefield chaos: some elephants, mortally wounded with their vital points shattered, trumpet and collapse dead; others panic and flee in all directions, emitting terrifying cries.