Shloka 116

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

शरस्फुलिड्ो भीष्मानिनेर्ददाह क्षत्रियर्षभान्‌ रथ ही उनके लिये अग्निशालाके समान था

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śara-sphuliṅgo bhīṣmāgnir dadāha kṣatriyarṣabhān | rathaḥ hi teṣāṃ agni-śalākā-samo 'bhavat, dhanuḥ jvālā-samo dīpyate sma | khaḍga-śakti-gadādayaś ca astrāṇi-śastrāṇi samidhā-kāryaṃ kurvanti sma | bāṇāḥ sphuliṅgā iva | evaṃ bhīṣma-rūpo 'gnis tatra kṣatriya-śiromaṇīn dagdhuṃ pravavṛte ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—بھیشم آگ کی مانند بھڑک اٹھے اور تیروں کی چنگاریوں سے کشتریوں کے سرداروں کو جلانے لگے۔ اُن کا رتھ گویا آگ کا الاؤ تھا، کمان شعلوں کی طرح چمکتی تھی؛ تلوار، نیزہ، گدا اور دوسرے ہتھیار ایندھن بن گئے، اور تیر چنگاریوں کی طرح اڑنے لگے۔ یوں میدانِ جنگ میں بھیشم-روپ آگ کشتریہ-شیرومنیوں کو بھسم کرنے لگی۔

Word by Word

• शर: arrows
• शर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्फुलिङ्गाः: sparks
• स्फुलिङ्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फुलिङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भीष्म: Bhishma
• भीष्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• ददाह: burned/consumed
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षत्रिय: kshatriyas
• क्षत्रिय: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ऋषभान्: bulls/chiefs (best ones)
• ऋषभान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• kṣatriyas (warriors)
• chariot (ratha)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• sword (khaḍga)
• spear/javelin (śakti)
• mace (gadā)
• arrows (śara/bāṇa)
• fire (agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the fire-metaphor to show how kṣatriya-dharma in war can manifest as overwhelming, impersonal destruction: weapons become 'fuel' and arrows become 'sparks.' It invites reflection on the ethical weight of martial duty—valor and skill may be righteous within one’s role, yet they still produce suffering and irreversible consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīṣma’s fierce onslaught in battle. Bhīṣma is portrayed as a consuming fire: chariots appear like firebrands, his bow like flames, weapons like kindling, and arrows like sparks, as he strikes down the foremost warriors on the field.