Shloka 39

Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation

Devanagari script

नागराजोपमैहस्तैनगिराक्षिप्य संयुगे | व्यदृश्यन्त महाराज सम्भग्ना रथकूबरा:

Transliteration

nāgarājopamaiḥ hastair nagirākṣipya saṁyuge | vyadṛśyanta mahārāja sambhagnā rathakūbarāḥ ||

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาราช! ในสมรภูมิ ด้วยมืออันทรงพลังดุจพญานาคราช พวกเขาฉวยรถศึกแล้วยกเหวี่ยงทุ่มลง และเห็นคานรถศึก (กูพะระ) จำนวนมากแตกหักพังทลาย

Word by Word

नागराजोपमैःwith (hands) comparable to serpent-kings

हस्तैःwith hands

नगिरान्mountains

आक्षिप्यhaving hurled / having thrown

संयुगेin battle

व्यदृश्यन्तwere seen / appeared

महाराजO great king

सम्भग्नाःbroken / shattered

रथकूबराःchariot-poles (chariot-shafts)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

ratha (chariot)

rathakūbara (chariot-pole/drawbar)

nāgarāja (serpent-king, as a simile)

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 how war, even when framed as kṣatriya duty, manifests as tangible devastation—broken chariots and ruined instruments—inviting reflection on the ethical weight and consequences of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that in the battle warriors of immense strength seized and hurled chariots, and many chariot-poles were seen shattered on the battlefield.