Shloka 88

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

Devanagari script

मार्गान्‌ बहून्‌ विचरता धावता च ततस्ततः । मुहुरुत्पतता चैव सम्मोह: समपद्यत

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mārgān bahūn vicaratā dhāvatā ca tatastataḥ | muhur utpatatā caiva sammohaḥ samapadyata, rājan |

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: “Tâu Đại vương, khi chàng lướt qua bao lối, lao vùn vụt khắp nơi, lại liên tiếp bật vọt, thì một cơn hoảng loạn mê mờ đã chụp xuống chiến địa. Như tượng chúa giữa vòng binh đao, bước đi và uy thế đáng sợ của Bhīmasena khiến quân sĩ cùng xe ngựa run rẩy, và sự rối loạn lan tràn khắp cả.”

Word by Word

• मार्गान्: paths, routes
• मार्गान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विचरता: while roaming/moving about
• विचरता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• धावता: while running
• धावता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• ततः: from there; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ततः: from there; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• मुहुः: again and again; repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• उत्पतता: while leaping up/springing
• उत्पतता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-पत्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सम्मोहः: bewilderment, confusion
• सम्मोहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्मोह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समपद्यत: arose; came about; befell
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आपद्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīmasena

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how fear and confusion (sammoha) can overtake an army when confronted with overwhelming force and unpredictable movement; in war, mental steadiness is as decisive as weapons.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Bhimasena moving rapidly across many routes on the battlefield—running, roaming, and repeatedly leaping—so that the opposing troops and their mounts begin to tremble and a general panic spreads.