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Shloka 15

Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira

Book 9, Chapter 11

सदण्डशूला दीप्ताग्रा: शीर्यमाणा: समन्ततः । उल्का भूमिं दिव: पेतुराहत्य रविमण्डलम्‌,आकाशसे बहुत-सी उल्काएँ सूर्यमण्डलसे टकराकर पृथ्वीपर गिरने लगीं। उनके साथ दण्डयुक्त शूल भी गिर रहे थे। उन उल्काओंके अग्रभाग अपनी दीप्तिसे दमक रहे थे। वे सब-की-सब चारों ओर बिखरी पड़ती थीं

sadaṇḍaśūlā dīptāgrāḥ śīryamāṇāḥ samantataḥ | ulkā bhūmiṃ divaḥ petur āhatya ravimaṇḍalam ||

آسمان سے بہت سی اُلکائیں گویا سورج کے منڈل سے ٹکرا کر زمین پر گرنے لگیں۔ اُن کے ساتھ ڈنڈے والے نیزہ نما شُول بھی گرتے تھے۔ اُن اُلکاؤں کے نوک دار سرے اپنی چمک سے دہک رہے تھے اور وہ ہر طرف ٹوٹ پھوٹ کر بکھرتی جا رہی تھیں۔

सदण्डशूलाःhaving spears with staffs (staffed spears)
सदण्डशूलाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस-दण्ड-शूल
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
दीप्ताग्राःhaving blazing tips
दीप्ताग्राः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदीप्त-अग्र
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
शीर्यमाणाःfalling down / dropping
शीर्यमाणाः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootशीॄ (शीर्ण/शीर्य)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural, Present (Vartamana), Atmanepada (Passive sense), शानच् (present passive participle)
समन्ततःon all sides, everywhere
समन्ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसमन्ततः
उल्काःmeteors / firebrands
उल्काः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउल्का
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
भूमिम्the earth (ground)
भूमिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
दिवःfrom the sky/heaven
दिवः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootदिव्/द्यौ (दिव्)
FormFeminine, Ablative, Singular
पेतुःfell
पेतुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootपत्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
आहत्यhaving struck / after striking
आहत्य:
Karana
TypeVerb
Rootआ-हन्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)
रविमण्डलम्the sun’s disk/orb
रविमण्डलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरवि-मण्डल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
U
ulkāḥ (meteors)
R
ravimaṇḍala (sun’s orb)
B
bhūmi (earth)
D
div (sky/heaven)
D
daṇḍa-śūla (staff-armed spikes/spear-like forms)

Educational Q&A

The verse functions as an omen: when human conduct descends into large-scale violence and adharma, the epic frames the world itself as reflecting that rupture. It is less a doctrinal instruction than an ethical atmosphere—nature’s terrifying signs underscore the gravity of the war’s moral collapse.

Sañjaya reports dreadful portents: meteors with blazing tips fall from the sky to the earth, seeming to strike the sun’s orb, then shatter and scatter in all directions, appearing like weapon-shapes (staff-armed spikes/spears).