Shloka 16

Bhīṣma–Jāmadagnya-saṃvādaḥ

Bhishma’s account of the encounter with Rāma Jāmadagnya

Devanagari script

यथा रामो बाणजालाभितप्त- स्तथैवाहं सुभृशं गाढविद्ध: । ततो युद्ध व्यरमच्चापराह्ने भानावस्तं प्रति याते मही ध्रम्‌ू,जिस प्रकार परशुरामजी मेरे सायकसमूहोंसे संतप्त थे, उसी प्रकार मैं भी उनके बाणोंसे अत्यन्त घायल हो रहा था। तदनन्तर सायंकालमें जब सूर्यदेव अस्ताचलको चले गये, तब युद्ध बंद हो गया

Transliteration

yathā rāmo bāṇajālābhitaptaḥ tathaivāhaṃ subhṛśaṃ gāḍhaviddhaḥ | tato yuddhaṃ vyaramac cāparāhṇe bhānāv astaṃ prati yāte mahīdhram ||

Translation

যেমন রাম (পরশুরাম) আমার ঘন তীরবাণে দগ্ধ হচ্ছিলেন, তেমনি আমিও তাঁর তীরে গভীরভাবে বিদ্ধ ও গুরুতর আহত হচ্ছিলাম। তারপর অপরাহ্নে সূর্য অস্তাচলের দিকে গমন করলে যুদ্ধ থেমে গেল।

Word by Word

• {'yathā': 'just as, in the manner that', 'rāmaḥ': 'Rāma

• here Paraśurāma', 'bāṇa-jāla': 'a net/cluster of arrows

• dense volley', 'abhitaptaḥ': 'heated, scorched, tormented (by)', 'tathā eva': 'so indeed, likewise', 'aham': 'I', 'subhṛśam': 'exceedingly, very greatly', 'gāḍha-viddhaḥ': 'deeply pierced, severely wounded', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'yuddham': 'battle, combat', 'vyaramat': 'ceased, came to a halt', 'ca': 'and', 'aparāhṇe': 'in the latter part of the day

• late afternoon', 'bhānau': 'when the sun (locative absolute)', 'astam': 'setting

• the act/state of setting', 'prati': 'toward', 'yāte': 'having gone, having moved', 'mahīdhram': 'mountain (lit. ‘earth-holder’)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• arrows (bāṇa)
• the Sun (Bhānu)
• mountain (mahīdhra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in fierce conflict, warriors observe time-bound restraint: combat is halted at sunset. The verse highlights disciplined adherence to accepted rules of battle alongside acknowledgment of mutual prowess.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts his duel with Paraśurāma: each wounds the other with heavy arrow volleys, and the day’s fighting ends when the sun sets behind the mountain.