Shloka 76

Devanagari script

पूषात्मजो मर्मसु निर्बिभेद मरुत्सुतं चायुतश: शराग्रयै:

Transliteration

pūṣātmajo marmasu nirbibheda marutsutaṃ cāyutaśaḥ śarāgraiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: The son of Pūṣan struck the son of the Wind again and again in his vital points with countless arrow-tips, pressing the battle with relentless force and intent to disable his foe in the midst of the war’s harsh demands.

Word by Word

• पूषा-आत्मजः: the son of Pūṣan
• पूषा-आत्मजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूषात्मज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मर्मसु: in the vital spots
• मर्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• निर्बिभेद: pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मरुत्सुतम्: the son of the Wind (Hanumān/Bhīma, contextually here: Bhīma)
• मरुत्सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत्सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अयुतशः: by tens of thousands; in countless numbers
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अयुतशस्

• शर-अग्र्यैः: with excellent arrows
• शर-अग्र्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शराग्र्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pūṣan
• pūṣātmaja (son of Pūṣan)
• Vāyu/Marut (Wind-god)
• marutsuta (son of the Wind)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim reality of dharma in war: skill and resolve are directed toward disabling an opponent by targeting vulnerable points (marma). It implicitly underscores the ethical tension of battlefield duty—where protection of one’s side and adherence to kṣatriya obligations can involve severe, even ruthless, tactics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior identified as the son of Pūṣan pierces the ‘son of the Wind’ repeatedly, striking vital points with an immense number of arrows, indicating an intense exchange where one combatant attempts to overwhelm and incapacitate the other.