Shloka 24

धूम्राक्षवधः

The Slaying of Dhumrākṣa

Devanagari script

धनुर्ज्यातन्त्रिमधुरंहिक्कातालसमन्वितम् ।मन्धस्न्तितसङ्गीतंतद्युद्धगान्धर्वमाबभौ ।।6.52.24।।

Transliteration

dhanurjyātantrimadhuraṃ hikkātālasamanvitam | mandahastitasaṅgītaṃ tad yuddhagāndharvam ābabhau ||6.52.24||

Translation

Giữa chiến địa vang lên như một cuộc diễn tấu của chư Gandharva: tiếng dây cung ngân ngọt như đàn tỳ-bà, tiếng ngựa hí hòa như chập chõa, và tiếng voi rống trầm hùng làm nên khúc nhạc sâu dày của chiến trận.

Word by Word

धनुः-ज्या-तन्त्रि-मधुरम्sweet with the twang of bowstrings

हिक्का-ताल-समन्वितम्accompanied by rhythmic hikkā-sounds

मन्द-हस्तित-सङ्गीतम्music of gentle trumpeting

तत्that

युद्ध-गान्धर्वम्the war-music (gandharva-like)

आबभौappeared/seemed

Context

It seemed like music in the form of twang of bow strings, neighing of horses like the sound of wooden cymbals, vocal music in the form of trumpeting of elephants, that battle seemed like symphony.

Characters & Entities

Dhanus (bow)

Horses

Elephants

Gāndharva (celestial music/performance)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Even amid violence, the poet’s vision imposes order and meaning; dharma is aligned with harmony and intelligibility, resisting the reduction of war to mere chaos.

What is the narrative situation?

Aesthetic narration pauses the action to describe the battlefield’s sounds as if they formed a musical ensemble.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a single character trait, but the epic’s reflective wisdom: the capacity to perceive pattern and moral gravity even in upheaval.