Shloka 15

नृशंस-लक्षणनिर्णयः | Determining the Marks of Cruel Conduct

Nṛśaṃsa

Devanagari script

निहताश्नैव भग्नाक्ष पाण्डवेन यशस्विना । चरता बलमास्थाय पाकशासनिना मृथधे

Transliteration

nihatāś caiva bhagnāś ca pāṇḍavena yaśasvinā | caratā balam āsthāya pākaśāsaninā yudhi ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اس جنگ میں یشस्वی پاندوپتر ارجن نے، پاکا کو سزا دینے والے اندر کی مانند، اپنے ہی زور پر بھروسا کر کے میدانِ کارزار میں گردش کرتے ہوئے، ان تمام لشکروں کو قتل کیا، توڑ ڈالا اور بھگا دیا۔

Word by Word

• निहतान्: slain
• निहतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (√हन् + नि, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अश्नैव: as if by a thunderbolt / instantly (lit. 'like a bolt')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशन + एव

• भग्नान्: broken, routed
• भग्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (√भञ्ज्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• पाण्डवेन: by the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यशस्विना: by the glorious/famed (one)
• यशस्विना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• चरता: while moving/roaming (in battle)
• चरता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर (√चर्, शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बलम्: strength, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having relied on / having taken support of
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्था (आ + √स्था, ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• पाकशासनिना: by (him who is) the chastiser of Pāka (Indra)
• पाकशासनिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाकशासनिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Arjuna
• Pandu
• Indra (Pakaśāsani)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya valor aligned with duty: decisive action, steadiness, and strategic mobility in battle, framed through a dharmic ideal of protecting order—symbolized by comparing Arjuna’s effectiveness to Indra’s.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes Arjuna’s battlefield performance: moving across the field, relying on his strength, he kills many and breaks the opposing forces, causing them to scatter—his prowess likened to Indra (Pākaśāsani).