Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अक्षैश्व बहुधा भग्नैरीषादण्डकबन्धुरै: । कुण्जरैर्मथितैश्वापि ध्वजैश्व विनिपातितैः

Transliteration

akṣaiś ca bahudhā bhagnair īṣādaṇḍaka-bandhuraiḥ | kuñjarair mathitaiś cāpi dhvajaiś ca vinipātitaiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“战场上遍地狼藉——战车车轴多处折断，轭与辕杆尽皆碎裂；战象被碾压撕裂；旗帜与旌幢也被掀翻坠地。于是，骄矜与权势的标记，在战争不息的暴烈之中尽成残骸。”

Word by Word

• अक्षैः: with axles
• अक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा

• भग्नैः: broken
• भग्नैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• ईषादण्डकबन्धुरैः: having (broken) poles and shafts (of chariots)
• ईषादण्डकबन्धुरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईषादण्डकबन्धुर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कुञ्जरैः: with elephants
• कुञ्जरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मथितैः: crushed / churned up
• मथितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मथित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• ध्वजैः: with banners/standards
• ध्वजैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• विनिपातितैः: felled / thrown down
• विनिपातितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनिपातित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot axles
• chariot yokes/harness (bandhura)
• chariot pole/shaft (īṣā, daṇḍaka)
• elephants (kuñjara)
• standards/banners (dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of martial glory: the very emblems of power—chariots, elephants, and banners—are shown broken and cast down. It invites reflection on the impermanence of worldly might and the grave cost of adharma-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the aftermath and intensity of battle: chariot parts are shattered, elephants are mangled, and standards have fallen, conveying a battlefield overwhelmed by ruin and heavy fighting.