Shloka 11

भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः

Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt

Devanagari script

ततो रथेन शुभ्रेण समासाद्य तु कौरवान्‌ | यज्ञसेन: शरान्‌ घोरान्‌ ववर्ष युधि दुर्जय:

Transliteration

tato rathena śubhreṇa samāsādya tu kauravān | yajñasenaḥ śarān ghorān vavarṣa yudhi durjayaḥ ||

Translation

پھر جنگ میں ناقابلِ مغلوب یجّنسین (راجا دروپد) چمکتے ہوئے رتھ پر سوار ہو کر کوروؤں کے قریب جا پہنچا اور میدانِ کارزار میں ہولناک تیروں کی بارش کرنے لگا۔

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from/thereupon')

• रथेन: by/with a chariot
• रथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शुभ्रेण: bright, white, shining
• शुभ्रेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular (agreeing with रथेन)

• समासाद्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), active: 'having approached/reached'

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: Avyaya

• कौरवान्: the Kauravas
• कौरवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यज्ञसेनः: Yajñasena (Drupada)
• यज्ञसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• घोरान्: terrible, dreadful
• घोरान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural (agreeing with शरान्)

• ववर्ष: rained down, showered
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृष्
• Form: Perfect, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• दुर्जयः: hard to conquer
• दुर्जयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्जय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (agreeing with यज्ञसेनः)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kauravas
• Yajñasena (Drupada)
• chariot (ratha)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its narrative form: a ruler renowned as 'durjaya' (hard to defeat) confronts opponents directly and employs measured martial action. Ethically, it reflects the epic’s recurring idea that, once battle is joined, a warrior’s duty is steadfastness and courage rather than retreat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada (called Yajñasena) rides his shining chariot up to the Kaurava forces and begins a fierce assault, showering them with arrows, marking an intense escalation in the battlefield encounter.