Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अक्षैश्व बहुधा भग्नैरीषादण्डकबन्धुरै: । कुण्जरैर्मथितैश्वापि ध्वजैश्व विनिपातितैः

Transliteration

akṣaiś ca bahudhā bhagnair īṣādaṇḍaka-bandhuraiḥ | kuñjarair mathitaiś cāpi dhvajaiś ca vinipātitaiḥ ||

Translation

अक्षैश्च बहुधा भग्नैरीषादण्डकबन्धुरैः। कुञ्जरैर्मथितैश्चापि ध्वजैश्च विनिपातितैः॥

Word by Word

अक्षैःwith axles

चand

बहुधाin many ways / repeatedly

भग्नैःbroken

ईषादण्डकबन्धुरैःhaving (broken) poles and shafts (of chariots)

कुञ्जरैःwith elephants

मथितैःcrushed / churned up

चand

अपिalso

ध्वजैःwith banners/standards

चand

विनिपातितैःfelled / thrown down

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

chariot axles

chariot yokes/harness (bandhura)

chariot pole/shaft (īṣā, daṇḍaka)

elephants (kuñjara)

standards/banners (dhvaja)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of martial glory: the very emblems of power—chariots, elephants, and banners—are shown broken and cast down. It invites reflection on the impermanence of worldly might and the grave cost of adharma-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the aftermath and intensity of battle: chariot parts are shattered, elephants are mangled, and standards have fallen, conveying a battlefield overwhelmed by ruin and heavy fighting.