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Shloka 31

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

हयान्‌ गजपदातींश्व रथांश्न तरसा बहून्‌ निमज्जयन्तं समरे परवीरापहारिणम्‌

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | hayān gajapadātīṁś ca rathāṁś ca tarasā bahūn nimajjayantaṁ samare paravīrāpahāriṇam |

持国王说道:“在战场上,我看见毗湿摩以不可遏止的迅疾,压倒并仿佛将敌军无数的战马、战象、步兵与战车尽皆‘淹没’;在战争中,他成了夺取对方英雄性命之人。”

हयान्horses
हयान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
गजelephants
गज:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पदातीन्foot-soldiers
पदातीन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपदाति
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
रथान्chariots
रथान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
तरसाwith speed/force
तरसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतरस्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
बहून्many
बहून्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
निमज्जयन्तम्causing to sink; submerging
निमज्जयन्तम्:
TypeVerb
Rootनिमज्जय् (causative of √मज्ज्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle, causative)
समरेin battle
समरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसमर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
परवीरof enemy heroes
परवीर:
TypeNoun
Rootपर + वीर
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
अपहारिणम्snatching away; taking away (life)
अपहारिणम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअपहारिन् (from अप + √हृ)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular, णिनि (agent-noun/adjectival)

धृतराष्ट उवाच

D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
B
Bhīṣma
E
enemy warriors (para-vīra)
H
horses
E
elephants
I
infantry
C
chariots
B
battlefield (samara)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of righteous warfare: a warrior’s excellence (vīrya) operates within kṣatriya-dharma, yet it necessarily entails the taking of life. It invites reflection on duty, consequence, and the tragic cost of conflict.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is being informed/visualizing the battle and describes Bhīṣma’s ferocity: he is rapidly crushing the enemy’s forces—horses, elephants, infantry, and chariots—like drowning them in a sea of combat, and he is killing opposing heroes.