Shloka 115

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

Devanagari script

भीष्मस्तु निहते तस्मिन्‌ सारथौ रथिनां वर: । वातायमानैस्तैरश्वैरपनीतो रणाजिरात्‌,रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ भीष्म सारथिके मारे जानेपर हवाके समान भागनेवाले घोड़ोंके द्वारा रणभूमिसे बाहर कर दिये गये

Transliteration

bhīṣmas tu nihate tasmin sārathau rathināṃ varaḥ | vātāyamānais tair aśvair apanīto raṇājirāt ||

Translation

ఆ సారథి హతుడైనప్పుడు, రథయోధులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడైన భీష్ముడు గాలివేగంతో పరుగెత్తుతున్న ఆ గుర్రాలచేత యుద్ధభూమి నుండి బయటకు తీసుకుపోయబడ్డాడు.

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

तुbut/indeed

निहतेwhen (he) was slain

तस्मिन्in that (person/time)

सारथौin/when the charioteer

रथिनाम्of chariot-warriors

वरःthe best

वातायमानैःmoving like the wind

तैःby those

अश्वैःby horses

अपनीतःwas carried away/removed

रणाजिरात्from the battlefield

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhishma

charioteer (sārathi)

horses

battlefield (raṇājira)

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?

The verse highlights the dependence of even the mightiest warrior on supporting roles and conditions. The death of the charioteer becomes a decisive factor, showing that prowess alone does not guarantee control; in war, outcomes hinge on interconnected causes and sudden reversals.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that after Bhishma’s charioteer is killed, Bhishma is taken away from the fighting ground as the horses bolt wind-swift, effectively removing his chariot from the battlefield.