Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

जघान रथिनश्वापि बलवान रिपुमर्दन: । शत्रुओंका मर्दन करनेवाले बलवान भीम युद्धमें रथारोहियोंके रथोंके ईषादण्ड और जूए काटकर उन रथियोंका भी संहार कर डालते थे || ४८ ह ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

jaghāna rathinaś cāpi balavān ripumardanaḥ |

śatrūṇāṃ mardana-karaṇe balavān bhīma yuddhe rathārohīṇāṃ rathānām īṣā-daṇḍān ca yūgāni ca chittvā tān rathino 'pi saṃharati sma ||

bhīmasenaś caran mārgān subahūn pratyadṛśyata |

tasmin kāle pāṇḍu-nandanaḥ bhīmasenaḥ aneka-mārgeṣu vicarann iva dṛśyate sma |

sa khaḍga-yuddhasya bhrānta-āviddha-udbhrānta-āpluta-prasṛta-pluta-sampāta-samudīrṇa-ādīn bahūn pāñcarān darśayām āsa ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：力大无俦、以摧敌著称的毗摩，在战阵中连战车武士也一并击杀。于厮杀的逼迫之际，为折断敌军之势，他砍断战车的车辕与马轭，从而也毁灭了那些乘车之人。那时，般度之子毗摩塞那被见在战场上沿着多条线路纵横驰走，施展无数剑斗身法——佯动迷敌、回旋斩击、骤然转身、腾跃跳起、前冲突进、跃步推进、俯冲下劈，以及汹涌强猛的连番攻势——使他的武勇在战争冷峻的法度中，成为般度五子一方大义的可见利器。

Word by Word

• जघान: killed / slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), परिपूर्ण-भूत (perfect), प्रथम, एकवचन

• रथिनः: chariot-warriors
• रथिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• बलवान्: strong, mighty
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रिपु-मर्दनः: enemy-crusher (destroyer of foes)
• रिपु-मर्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपुमर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhima (Bhimasena)
• Pandu (as patronymic reference: Pandu-nandana)
• chariot-warriors (rathinaḥ)
• chariots (ratha)
• pole-shaft/drawbar (īṣā-daṇḍa)
• yoke (yūga)
• sword (khaḍga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights how martial excellence is framed within kṣatriya-dharma: Bhima’s strength is not mere rage but a directed, tactical force aimed at disabling the enemy’s war-machines (chariots) and thereby protecting his side. It also implies the ethical tension of war—skill and duty operating amid inevitable destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Bhima’s battlefield dominance: he cuts key chariot components (pole-shafts and yokes), causing chariot-warriors to be slain or rendered helpless, and he is seen ranging across many parts of the field while exhibiting numerous sword-fighting maneuvers.