Shloka 19

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

महारथा: समाख्याता: कुलपुत्रास्तनुत्यज: । अपरावर्तिन: सर्वे सुवर्णविकृतध्वजा:

Transliteration

mahārathāḥ samākhyātāḥ kulaputrās tanutyajaḥ | aparāvartinaḥ sarve suvarṇavikṛtadhvajāḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“他们被称为‘摩诃车战士’——名闻遐迩的伟大战车武士，皆为贵胄之子，以身躯为赌注投身战阵。无人退转；众皆前进，擎着以黄金雕饰铸成的旗幡。”

Word by Word

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समाख्याताः: renowned / so called
• समाख्याताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुलपुत्राः: sons of noble families
• कुलपुत्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तनुत्यजः: those who give up their bodies (life-sacrificers)
• तनुत्यजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तनु-त्यज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपरावर्तिनः: not turning back / unretreating
• अपरावर्तिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपरावर्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुवर्णविकृतध्वजाः: having banners adorned/ornamented with gold
• सुवर्णविकृतध्वजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण-विकृत-ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahārathāḥ (great chariot-warriors)
• dhvajāḥ (gold-adorned banners)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle: renowned warriors, conscious of honor and duty, do not retreat even at the cost of their bodies. It frames courage and resolve as ethical commitments within the war narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra about the assembled fighters: they are famed mahārathas, noble-born and ready to sacrifice their lives, advancing without turning back, their chariots marked by gold-ornamented banners.