Shloka 26

Devanagari script

पदातिनो<पि संत्यज्य प्रियं जीवितमात्मन: । भीममभ्यद्रवन्‌ संख्ये पतड़ा ज्वलनं यथा

Transliteration

padātino 'pi santyajya priyaṁ jīvitam ātmanaḥ | bhīmam abhyadravan saṅkhye pataṅgā jvalanaṁ yathā ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：就连步卒也舍却对自身性命的眷恋，在战场上向毗摩猛冲而去，犹如飞蛾扑向熊熊烈火。

Word by Word

• पदातिनः: foot-soldiers
• पदातिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• सन्त्यज्य: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• प्रियम्: dear
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यद्रवन्: they ran towards/charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सङ्ख्ये: in battle
• सङ्ख्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ख्य
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• पतङ्गाः: moths
• पतङ्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ज्वलनम्: fire/flame
• ज्वलनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वलन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• padātinaḥ (infantry/foot-soldiers)
• jvalana (fire)
• pataṅga (moth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the terrifying pull of war: soldiers may abandon attachment to life and rush into danger, driven by allegiance, duty, or frenzy. Ethically, it invites reflection on how collective violence can make self-preservation seem secondary to group obligation or momentary passion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes infantrymen charging straight at Bhīma in the thick of battle. The comparison to moths rushing into fire emphasizes both Bhīma’s deadly power and the near-suicidal intensity of the attackers’ advance.