Shloka 58

भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः

Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā

Devanagari script

ततो मुहूर्तादिव तद्‌ गजानीकमवध्यत

Transliteration

tato muhūrtād iva tad gajānīkam avadhyata

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi chỉ như trong một khoảnh khắc, đạo tượng binh ấy bị đánh gục và trở nên vô hiệu—một hình ảnh cho thấy sức mạnh dồn tụ có thể sụp đổ nhanh đến nhường nào khi gặp lực quyết đoán giữa cơn hỗn loạn của chiến trận.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter, then
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')

• मुहूर्तात्: from/after a short while (a muhūrta)
• मुहूर्तात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गजानीकम्: the elephant-corps, elephant host
• गजानीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवध्यत: was slain / was killed
• अवध्यत: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Passive (karmaṇi), 3rd person, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• gajānīka (elephant-corps)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of worldly strength in war: even a formidable, organized force can collapse rapidly when conditions turn—inviting reflection on impermanence and the grave cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that an elephant division previously mentioned is quickly destroyed/neutralized, emphasizing the sudden reversals typical of the Kurukṣetra battle.