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Shloka 146

भीष्मभीमसमागमः — Bhīṣma–Bhīma Strategic Engagement and Counsel to the King

अन्वश्वं दश धानुष्का धानुष्के दश चर्मिण: । वह व्यूह ऋष्टि और तोमर धारण करनेवाले अश्वारोहियोंके महान्‌ समुदायोंसे भरा था। एक-एक हाथीके पीछे सात-सात रथ, एक-एक रथके साथ सात-सात घुड़सवार, प्रत्येक घुड़सवारके पीछे दस-दस धनुर्धर और प्रत्येक धनुर्धरके साथ दस-दस ढाल-तलवार लिये रहनेवाले वीर खड़े थे

sañjaya uvāca | anvaśvaṃ daśa dhānuṣkā dhānuṣke daśa carmiṇaḥ |

قال سنجيا: في ذلك الترتيب القتالي كان خلف كل فارسٍ عشرةُ رماةٍ، وخلف كل رامٍ عشرةُ محاربين يحملون الدروع (والسيوف). وهكذا غدت الصفوف متراكبةً كثيفة، تُضاعِف الحماية وقوة الضرب، وتُظهر نظام الحرب المحسوب أكثر مما تُظهر خُلُقَ كفّ النفس الفردي.

अनुafter; following; along
अनु:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअनु
Formtrue
अश्वम्horse (each horse / per horse)
अश्वम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
दशten
दश:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदश
Formindeclinable-numeral, uninflected, uninflected
धानुष्काःarchers
धानुष्काः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधानुष्क
Formmasculine, nominative, plural
धानुष्केbehind/with an archer; in the case of an archer (per archer)
धानुष्के:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootधानुष्क
Formmasculine, locative, singular
दशten
दश:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदश
Formindeclinable-numeral, uninflected, uninflected
चर्मिणःshield-bearers (men with shields/armor)
चर्मिणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचर्मिन्
Formmasculine, nominative, plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
archers (dhānuṣka)
S
shield-bearers (carmiṇa)
H
horses/horsemen (aśva)

Educational Q&A

The verse primarily conveys no direct moral injunction; its implicit lesson is about the disciplined, hierarchical organization of armed force—how warfare relies on layered support units (horsemen, archers, shield-bearers) to maximize offense and defense.

Sañjaya is describing the structure of a battle formation: each horseman is backed by ten archers, and each archer is backed by ten shield-bearing fighters, indicating a tightly packed, mutually supporting arrangement within the army.