Shloka 52

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९

Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces

Devanagari script

शतान्यायान्ति समरे बलिनां तिग्मतेजसाम्‌ | पञ्च नागसहस्राणि द्विगुणा वाजिनस्तथा

Transliteration

śatāny āyānti samare balināṁ tigmātejasām | pañca nāgasahasrāṇi dviguṇā vājinās tathā

Translation

三阇耶说道：“在战阵的冲击中，数百名强悍之士、锋锐炽烈者正向前推进。随之而来的是五千头战象，以及数量加倍的战马。”

Word by Word

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• आयान्ति: come, arrive
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (इ)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• बलिनाम्: of the strong
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• तिग्मतेजसाम्: of those of sharp/brilliant energy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिग्मतेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च

• नागसहस्राणि: thousands of elephants
• नागसहस्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागसहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• द्विगुणाः: double (in number)
• द्विगुणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विगुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वाजिनः: horses
• वाजिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• elephants (nāga)
• horses (vājin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war rapidly escalates through sheer mobilization of power—numbers, beasts, and martial energy—reminding the listener that such might magnifies the stakes and consequences of action (karma) in a dharmic crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the approach of a large contingent: hundreds of powerful, radiant warriors, supported by five thousand elephants and twice as many horses, indicating a major concentration of forces on the battlefield.