Shloka 30

Adhyāya 107 — बहुयुद्धप्रकरणम्

Multiple Defensive Engagements to Protect Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

तस्यायसीं महाशक्तिं चिक्षेपाथ पितामह: । हेमचित्रां महावेगां नागकन्योपमां शुभाम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tasyāyasīṁ mahāśaktiṁ cikṣepātha pitāmahaḥ | hemacitrāṁ mahāvegāṁ nāgakanyopamāṁ śubhām |

Translation

قال سنجيا: ثم قذف الجدّ نحوه رمحاً عظيماً من حديد—مُطعَّماً بالذهب، مندفعاً بسرعة هائلة، جميلاً، ومصوغاً على هيئة فتاةٍ أفعوانية.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (of Sātyaki)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• आयसीम्: made of iron
• आयसीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस (आयसी-)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• महाशक्तिम्: a great spear/weapon (śakti)
• महाशक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाशक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चिक्षेप: threw/cast
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• पितामहः: the grandsire (Bhīṣma)
• पितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हेमचित्राम्: adorned/variegated with gold
• हेमचित्राम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेमचित्रा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• महावेगाम्: of great speed/impetus
• महावेगाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेगा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नागकन्या: a nāga-maiden (serpent-girl)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागकन्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उपमाम्: like; comparable to
• उपमाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: उपमा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शुभाम्: beautiful/auspicious
• शुभाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• mahāśakti (iron spear/javelin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form: in a righteous war, even a venerable elder like Bhīṣma must act with decisive martial force. Ethical weight lies not in ornamented power, but in disciplined action aligned with duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Bhīṣma (the Grandsire) hurls a massive iron śakti (spear/javelin) at his opponent, described as gold-adorned, extremely swift, and serpent-like in appearance.