Shloka 11

Bhīmasena’s Kalinga Engagement and the Approach of Bhīṣma (भीमसेन-कालिङ्ग-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

अच्छी तरह शिक्षा पाये हुए कितने ही हाथी तथा श्रेष्ठ गज

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca—susaṃskṛtā bahavo hastinaś ca śreṣṭhā gajāś ca, yeṣāṃ gaṇḍasthalebhyo madaḥ sravati sma, te ṛṣṭi-tomara-nārācair viddhāḥ, marma-vidīrṇatvāc cighghāṭantaḥ prāṇaśūnyā bhūmau nipetūḥ; kecid bhayānaka-cītkāraṃ kurvāṇāḥ sarvā diśo vidudruvuḥ.

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Nhiều voi được huấn luyện tinh thuần và những chiến tượng cao quý, nơi thái dương rỉ mật, bị giáo, lao và những mũi tên sắt (ṛṣṭi, tomara, nārāca) đâm xuyên. Huyệt mạch bị xé nát, chúng rống lên vì đau đớn rồi ngã xuống đất, vô sinh khí; kẻ khác gào thét ghê rợn, hoảng loạn chạy tán loạn bốn phương. Cảnh ấy phơi bày cái giá đạo lý của chiến tranh: ngay cả những sinh linh mạnh mẽ, được rèn cho trận mạc, cũng hóa thành nạn nhân bất lực khi bạo lực lấn át tiết chế và bổn phận sụp đổ thành tàn sát.

Word by Word

• सुप्रशिक्षिताः: well-trained
• सुप्रशिक्षिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्रशिक्षित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केचित्: some
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क-चिद्

• हस्तिनः: elephants
• हस्तिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• श्रेष्ठाः: excellent, best
• श्रेष्ठाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गजाः: elephants (bull-elephants)
• गजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• येषाम्: of whom/whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• गण्डस्थलात्: from the temples (of the head)
• गण्डस्थलात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्डस्थल
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मदः: rut-fluid, ichor
• मदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चूयते: oozes, drips
• Type: Verb
• Root: चु
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• ऋष्टिभिः: with spears
• ऋष्टिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• तोमरैः: with javelins
• तोमरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नाराचैः: with iron arrows
• नाराचैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विद्धाः: pierced, wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (वेधने)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• मर्म: vital spot
• मर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विदीर्णम्: torn open, split
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदीर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive)

• चिग्घाड़न्ति: they trumpet/roar
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिघ्र (चिग्घाड़)
• Form: Present, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• प्राणशून्याः: lifeless
• प्राणशून्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणशून्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive)

• धरित्रीम्: the earth/ground
• धरित्रीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरित्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पतन्ति: they fall
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Present, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• केचित्: some
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क-चिद्

• भयानकं: terrible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयानक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चीत्कारम्: a scream/cry
• चीत्कारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चीत्कार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वन्तः: making, uttering
• कुर्वन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• दिक्षु: directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• धावन्ति: they run
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Present, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• war-elephants (hastin/gaja)
• gaṇḍasthala (elephant temples)
• mada (rut-ichor)
• ṛṣṭi (spears)
• tomara (javelins)
• nārāca (iron arrows)
• marma (vital points)
• bhūmi (earth/ground)
• diśaḥ (directions)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grievous consequences of warfare: strength, training, and nobility cannot protect beings from the indiscriminate destruction of battle. It implicitly invites ethical reflection on the cost of conflict and the suffering inflicted on even non-human participants compelled into war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes the battlefield where many musth elephants are pierced by spears, javelins, and iron arrows. With their vital points torn, they trumpet, collapse dead, and some flee in terror in all directions, conveying chaos and devastation among the war-elephants.