Shloka 246

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

Devanagari script

सध्वज: सह सूतेन जगाम धरणीतलम्‌ | राजन! उस गदाकी चोट खाकर कलिंगराजकुमार प्राणशून्य हो अपने सारथि और ध्वजके साथ ही रथसे नीचे पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा

Transliteration

sadhvajaḥ saha sūtena jagāma dharaṇītalam | rājan! us gadākī coṭa khākara kaliṅgarājakumāra prāṇaśūnya ho apane sārathi aura dhvajake sātha hī rathase nīce pṛthvīpara gira paṛā

Translation

三阇耶说道：大王啊，被那铁锤沉重一击击中，羯陵伽王子当场殒命，并与御者及车中旗幡一同，从战车上坠落于地。此景凸显战场的冷峻终局：当勇力与职责相撞，暴烈一旦放出，死亡便迅疾降临。

Word by Word

• सध्वजः: together with (his) flag/standard
• सध्वजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: with, together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• सूतेन: with the charioteer
• सूतेन: Sahakari_Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• जगाम: went, fell (came down)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• धरणीतलम्: the surface of the earth, ground
• धरणीतलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी-तल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as Rājan)
• Kaliṅga prince (Kaliṅgarājakumāra)
• Charioteer (Sūta/Sārathi)
• Chariot (Ratha)
• Banner/standard (Dhvaja)
• Mace (Gadā)
• Earth/ground (Dharaṇītala/Pṛthvī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grave ethical weight of warfare: once violence is set in motion, life can end instantly, affecting not only the combatant but also attendants and symbols of status (charioteer and banner). It invites reflection on responsibility, restraint, and the tragic cost inherent in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the prince of Kaliṅga, struck by a powerful mace-blow, dies on the spot and falls from his chariot to the ground along with his charioteer and the chariot’s banner.