Shloka 83

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९

Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces

Devanagari script

पश्य नीलाम्बुदनिभान्‌ महामात्रैरधिष्ठितान्‌ । शक्तितोमरसंघातैर्विनिध्नन्तं वृकोदरम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

paśya nīlāmbudanibhān mahāmātrair adhiṣṭhitān |

śaktitomarasaṃghātair vinihnantaṃ vṛkodaram |

Translation

三阇耶说道：“且看毗摩——狼腹者（Vṛkodara）——以长枪与投枪（tomara）的密集齐发，击倒那些如黑雨云般的战象；每一头都由驭象者（mahout）端坐其肩而操纵。于战阵无情的挤压之中，他连坐骑与驾驭者一并斩落，使敌军赖以为屏障的‘活垒’化作轰然倒塌的沉重巨块。”

Word by Word

• पश्य: see! behold!
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (दृश्-अर्थे)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• नीलाम्बुदनिभान्: resembling dark clouds
• नीलाम्बुदनिभान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीलाम्बुदनिभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• महामात्रैः: by mahouts/elephant-drivers
• महामात्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• अधिष्ठितान्: mounted/occupied
• अधिष्ठितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि-स्था (धातु) → अधिष्ठित (कृदन्त)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• शक्तितोमरसंघातैः: with volleys/masses of spears and tomaras
• शक्तितोमरसंघातैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्तितोमरसंघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• विनिध्नन्तम्: striking down/smiting
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-हन् (धातु) → विनिघ्नत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• वृकोदरम्: Vrikodara (Bhima)
• वृकोदरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृकोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• elephants
• mahouts/mahāmātras
• śakti (spears)
• tomara (javelins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim reality of kṣatriya warfare: even mighty war-elephants—symbols of royal power—are subject to destruction when opposed by determined valor. It implicitly highlights the ethical weight of battle, where duty-driven heroism operates amid severe violence and loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma (Vṛkodara) on the battlefield felling enemy elephants that look like dark clouds, along with their mounted drivers, using volleys of spears and tomara-javelins.