Shloka 10

भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements

Devanagari script

शरांस्तान्‌ मृत्युसंस्पर्शान्‌ सात्यकेश्व पदानुगा:

Transliteration

śarāṁs tān mṛtyusaṁsparśān sātyakeśva padānugāḥ

Translation

قال سانجيا: تلك السهام—قاتلةٌ لمجرد اللمس، كأنها مسُّ الموت ذاته—كانت تلاحق خطوات ساتياكي ملاصقةً له، تطارده وهو يتقدّم في زحام المعركة.

Word by Word

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मृत्युसंस्पर्शान्: having the touch of death; death-dealing
• मृत्युसंस्पर्शान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्युसंस्पर्श
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सात्यके: in/at Sātyaki
• सात्यके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• इव: as if; like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पदानुगाः: following the footsteps; tracking
• पदानुगाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पदानुग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)
• arrows (śarāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark reality of righteous warfare: a warrior who advances in duty must face mortal danger without retreat, and the narrative highlights steadfastness under lethal threat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Sātyaki being closely pursued by deadly arrows—so fatal they are likened to the touch of death—indicating intense pressure on him in the battle scene.