Shloka 18

Devanagari script

उदीर्णाश्वगजा सेना सर्वक्षत्रस्य भारत । त्वां समासाद्य निधनं गता भीम॑ च भारत,“भारत! गोवास, दासमीय, वसाति, प्राच्य, वाट्धान और भोजदेशनिवासी अभिमानी वीरोंकी तथा सम्पूर्ण क्षत्रियोंकी सेना, जिसमें उद्ण्ड घोड़ों और उन्मत्त हाथियोंकी संख्या अधिक थी, तुम्हारे और भीमसेनके पास पहुँचकर नष्ट हो गयी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

udīrṇāśvagajā senā sarvakṣatrasya bhārata |

tvāṁ samāsādya nidhanaṁ gatā bhīmaṁ ca bhārata ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: О Бхарата! Войско всего воинского сословия, изобилующее горячими конями и могучими слонами, приблизившись к тебе и к Бхиме, обрело гибель.

Word by Word

उदीर्णraised, excited, impetuous

अश्वhorses

गजाelephants

सेनाarmy

सर्वof all

क्षत्रस्यof the Kshatriya order / warriors

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

त्वाम्you

समासाद्यhaving approached/reached

निधनम्destruction, death

गताwent; came to (i.e., met with)

भीमम्Bhima

चand

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bharata (addressed as Dhritarashtra)

Bhima (Bhimasena)

Kshatriyas (warrior host)

Army

Horses

Elephants

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mere numerical strength and martial resources (horses, elephants, a vast Kshatriya host) do not guarantee victory; when driven by arrogance and set against superior valor and determination, they can culminate in collective ruin—highlighting the ethical warning against pride in power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that a large, formidable army—rich in cavalry and elephants—advanced to confront him (the Bharata king’s side is being addressed) and Bhima, and upon meeting them was destroyed, emphasizing the intensity and decisiveness of the clash.