Shloka 83

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

त्रातारं नाध्यगच्छन्त गाव: पड़कगता इव | पिपीलिका इव क्षुण्णा दुर्बला बलिना रणे

Transliteration

trātāraṃ nādhyagacchanta gāvaḥ paṅkagatā iva | pipīlikā iva kṣuṇṇā durbalā balinā raṇe, bhārata |

Translation

三阇耶说道：“他们寻不到救护者，如牛群陷泥。战阵之中，弱者被强者碾压，犹如蚁虫被踏碎。”

Word by Word

• त्रातारम्: protector (as object sought)
• त्रातारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अध्यगच्छन्त: found / reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पङ्कगता: gone into mud / stuck in mire
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पङ्क-गत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पिपीलिकाः: ants
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिपीलिका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• क्षुण्णाः: crushed, trampled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• दुर्बलाः: weak
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्बल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• बलिना: by the strong one
• बलिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍava army
• Bharata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of leadership and protection in war: when a force loses guidance and refuge, it becomes helpless, and the strong can annihilate the weak with ease—underscoring both the brutality of battle and the responsibility borne by commanders.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍava troops are in flight and cannot find any defender; Bhīṣma, dominating the field, cuts them down relentlessly, compared to cattle trapped in mud and ants being crushed.