Shloka 71

एक: संख्ये महेष्वासो योधयन्‌ बह्नशोभत । जिस समय राधापुत्र कर्ण पाण्डवोंके साथ उलझा हुआ था, उसी समय महाधनुर्धर भीमसेन क्रोधमें भरकर यमदण्डके समान भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा बाह्नीक, केकय, मत्स्य, वसातीय, मद्र तथा सिंधुदेशीय सैनिकोंका सब ओरसे संहार कर रहे थे। वे युद्धभूमिमें अकेले ही इन सबके साथ युद्ध करते हुए बड़ी शोभा पा रहे थे ।। तत्र मर्मसु भीमेन नाराचैस्ताडिता गजा:

ekaḥ saṅkhye maheṣvāso yodhayan bahuśobhata | tatrāpi marmasu bhīmena nārācais tāḍitā gajāḥ ||

Санджая сказал: в той битве великий лучник Бхима сражался один и сиял доблестью. В то самое время, когда Карна, сын Радхи, был связан боем с Пандавами, Бхимасена — с гневом, разгоревшимся до предела, — со всех сторон косил войска бахликов, кекая, матсьев, васатиев, мадров и синдху страшными стрелами, подобными жезлу Ямы. Даже слоны там, поражённые Бхимой в жизненные места его железными стрелами, шатались под мощью его натиска.

एकःalone/one
एकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
संख्येin battle
संख्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसंख्या
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
महेष्वासःgreat bowman
महेष्वासः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहेष्वास
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
योधयन्fighting
योधयन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
बह्नाby/with many (ways/means)
बह्ना:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
शोभतshone/was splendid
शोभत:
TypeVerb
Rootशुभ्
FormImperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
मर्मसुin the vital spots
मर्मसु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
भीमेनby Bhima
भीमेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभीम
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
नाराचैःwith iron arrows
नाराचैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनाराच
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
ताडिताःstruck/smitten
ताडिताः:
TypeVerb
Rootताडित
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
गजाःelephants
गजाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
K
Karṇa (Rādhāputra)
P
Pāṇḍavas
B
Bāhlīka troops
K
Kekaya troops
M
Matsya troops
V
Vāsātīya troops
M
Madra troops
S
Sindhu troops
Y
Yama (as ethical-symbolic reference: daṇḍa of Yama)
N
nārāca (iron arrows)
G
gaja (war-elephants)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast courage and decisive action in a just war, while also warning of how anger (krodha) amplifies destructive power—linking battlefield prowess with the moral gravity of death through the image of Yama’s staff.

As Karṇa is occupied fighting the Pāṇḍavas, Bhīma rages through allied enemy contingents (Bāhlīka, Kekaya, Matsya, Vāsātīya, Madra, Sindhu), slaughtering them from all sides; he even brings down war-elephants by striking their vital points with heavy iron arrows.