Shloka 5

Adhyāya 111 (Book 6): Daśama-dina-saṃgrāma—Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira and the Śikhaṇḍin-Led Advance

Devanagari script

चक्ररक्षौ ततस्तस्य भीमसेनधनंजयौ । पृष्ठतो द्रौपदेयाश्व सौभद्रश्चैव वीर्यवान्‌

Transliteration

cakrarakṣau tatastasyā bhīmasenadhanañjayau | pṛṣṭhato draupadeyāś ca saubhadraś caiva vīryavān ||

Translation

قال سانجيا: عندئذٍ تولّى بهيماسينا ودهانانجايا (أرجونا) واجب حراسة عجلات مركبته. ومن خلفه اضطلع أبناء دروبادي الخمسة، ومعهم ابن سوبهادرا الشجاع أبهيمانيو، بمهمة حماية مؤخرته.

Word by Word

• चक्ररक्षौ: wheel-guards (protectors of the wheels)
• चक्ररक्षौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्ररक्षक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

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

• भीमसेन: Bhimasena
• भीमसेन: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धनंजयौ: Dhananjaya (Arjuna) (dual form used with another, i.e., the pair)
• धनंजयौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/at the rear
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः

• द्रौपदेयाः: the sons of Draupadi
• द्रौपदेयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सौभद्रः: the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu)
• सौभद्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वीर्यवान्: valiant/powerful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Śikhaṇḍin (implied by 'tasya' in context)
• Draupadeyas (sons of Draupadī)
• Subhadrā
• Abhimanyu
• chariot wheels
• rear-guard/protection formation

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, dharma expresses itself as disciplined responsibility: the strongest warriors accept protective roles, subordinating personal glory to safeguarding comrades and advancing the collective objective.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a tactical arrangement: Bhīma and Arjuna guard the chariot’s wheels (preventing immobilization and close assault), while the Draupadeyas and Abhimanyu secure the rear, forming a protective screen around the central chariot/warrior (contextually Śikhaṇḍin).