Shloka 76

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

भीमसेनं रणे राजन्‌ समन्तात्‌ पर्यवारयत्‌ | नरेश्वर! कलिंगोंके कई सहस्न रथ और दस हजार हाथियों एवं निषादोंके साथ केतुमान्‌ उस रणस्थलमें भीमसेनको सब ओरसे रोकने लगा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

bhīmasenaṁ raṇe rājan samantāt paryavārayat |

na­reśvara kaliṅgānāṁ bahavaḥ sahasraśo rathā daśa-sāhasrāṇi ca hastinaḥ niṣādaiḥ saha ketumān raṇa-sthale bhīmasenaṁ sarvataḥ paryavārayat |

kṣurābhyāṁ cakra-rakṣī ca kaliṅgasya mahābalau |

satyadevaṁ ca satyaṁ ca prāhiṇod yama-sādanam ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Tâu Đại vương, giữa trận chiến Bhīmasena bị vây bọc tứ phía. Hỡi chúa tể loài người, Ketumān—được hậu thuẫn bởi hàng ngàn chiến xa xứ Kaliṅga, mười ngàn voi chiến và các chiến binh Niṣāda—đã bao vây Bhīma từ mọi hướng trên chiến địa. Rồi với hai mũi tên sắc bén, ông ta tiễn hai dũng tướng hộ xa của vua Kaliṅga là Satyadeva và Satya đến cõi Yama.

Word by Word

• भीमसेनम्: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समन्तात्: from all sides / all around
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात्

• पर्यवारयत्: surrounded / hemmed in
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + अव + √वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षुराभ्याम्: with two razor(-edged) arrows
• क्षुराभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• चक्ररक्षी: the wheel-guard (protector of the chariot-wheel)
• चक्ररक्षी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र-रक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कालिङ्गस्य: of the Kalinga (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महाबलौ: two very strong (men)
• महाबलौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सत्यदेवम्: Satyadeva
• सत्यदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• सत्यम्: Satya (a warrior named Satya)
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• प्राहिणोत्: sent / dispatched
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √हि (हिनोति)
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यमसादनम्: to Yama’s abode (death)
• यमसादनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-सादन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Ketumān
• Kaliṅga
• Niṣādas
• Satyadeva
• Satya
• Yama
• chariots (ratha)
• elephants (hastin)
• razor-edged arrows (kṣura)
• chariot wheel-guards (cakra-rakṣin)
• battlefield (raṇa-sthala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the harsh dharma of battlefield duty: warriors face encirclement, counterattack, and death as immediate consequences of martial engagement; it also highlights how leadership and tactical formations (surrounding, chariot-guards) shape outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma is surrounded by Ketumān’s Kaliṅga forces—chariots, elephants, and Niṣādas. In the ensuing clash, two prominent chariot wheel-guards, Satyadeva and Satya, are struck down and sent to Yama’s realm.