Shloka 11

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

तस्य सैन्यस्य संग्रामे युध्यमानस्य भारत

Transliteration

tasya sainyasya saṅgrāme yudhyamānasya bhārata

Translation

桑阇耶说道：“噢，婆罗多啊，当那支军队投入战斗，在鏖战的中心厮杀之时……”

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that (his/its)
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सैन्यस्य: of the army
• सैन्यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युध्यमानस्य: of (one) fighting
• युध्यमानस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Present (Lat), Atmanepada, Shatr (present active participle, middle usage), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata
• भारत: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (Vocative epithet)
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• sainya (army)
• saṅgrāma (battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line functions as a narrative hinge rather than a direct moral injunction: it foregrounds the reality of collective duty and consequence in war—armies act as instruments of their leaders’ choices, and the unfolding battle becomes the arena where dharma, loyalty, and responsibility are tested.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses Dhṛtarāṣṭra (“O Bhārata”) and begins describing events as the army is actively fighting in the battle. The verse is an incomplete clause that sets up the next statement about what occurred amid the combat.