Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 19

भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal

उत्पेतु: सहसा राजन्‌ हंसा इव महोदधौ । ते त्वदीयान्‌ समासाद्य हयसंघान्‌ मनोजवान्‌,राजन! वे घोड़े महासागरमें उड़नेवाले हंसोंके समान सहसा उछले और आपके मनके समान वेगशाली अश्वोंके समुदायमें पहुँचकर छातीसे उनकी छातीमें तथा नासिकासे एक- दूसरेकी नासिकापर चोट करने लगे। वे सहसा वेगपूर्वक टकराकर पृथ्वीपर गिरते थे

sañjaya uvāca | utpetuḥ sahasā rājan haṃsā iva mahodadhau | te tvadīyān samāsādya hayasaṅghān manojavān rājann urasā urasi ca nāsikayā ca parasparaṃ nāsikāsu prahārān pracakruḥ | te sahasā vegapūrvam abhihatyābhihatyā pṛthivyāṃ nipetuḥ |

اے راجن! وہ گھوڑے اچانک یوں اچھلے جیسے مہاسागर پر ہنس پرواز کر اٹھتے ہیں۔ پھر وہ تمہارے گھوڑوں کے اُن دستوں کے قریب جا پہنچے جو خیال کی طرح تیز تھے۔

उत्पेतुःleapt up / sprang
उत्पेतुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउत्-√पत्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada
सहसाsuddenly
सहसा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहसा
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
हंसाःswans
हंसाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहंस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
इवlike / as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
महोदधौin the great ocean
महोदधौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमहोदधि
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
त्वदीयान्your (belonging to you)
त्वदीयान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootत्वदीय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समासाद्यhaving approached / reaching
समासाद्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-√सद्
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
हयसंघान्troops/groups of horses
हयसंघान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहयसंघ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
मनोजवान्swift as the mind
मनोजवान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमनोजव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sanjaya
K
King Dhritarashtra (implied by 'rājan')
H
horses (haya)
G
great ocean (mahodadhi)
S
swans (haṃsa)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how, in war, speed and aggression quickly become self-destructive: mutual collision leads to injury and collapse. It implicitly warns that unchecked force and rivalry produce suffering for both sides.

Sanjaya describes a sudden clash involving fast-moving horse formations. They surge forward like swans over the ocean, collide chest-to-chest and muzzle-to-muzzle, and repeatedly crash down to the ground from the force of impact.