Shloka 96

Ulūpī’s Disclosure and the Saṃjīvana-Maṇi: Arjuna’s Restoration (उलूपी-प्रकटनं संजीवनमणि-स्थापनं च)

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिना तु संयुक्तस्तमाश्रित्य हतस्त्वया । “वीर! आपने अपने साथ जूझते हुए भीष्मजीको नहीं मारा है, वे शिखण्डीके साथ उलझे हुए थे। उस दशामें शिखण्डीकी आड़ लेकर आपने उनका वध किया था

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍinā tu saṃyuktas tam āśritya hatas tvayā |

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „Indem du dich hinter Śikhaṇḍin in Deckung brachtest — während Bhīṣma mit ihm im Kampf verstrickt war — hast du ihn zu Fall gebracht. O Held, du hast Bhīṣma nicht wahrhaft in direktem Zweikampf erschlagen; in jenem Augenblick, Śikhaṇḍin als Schutzschirm nutzend, bewirkstest du seinen Sturz.“

Word by Word

शिखण्डिनाby/with Shikhaṇḍin (Shikhaṇḍī)

तुbut/indeed

संयुक्तःengaged/combined (with), joined in combat

तम्him (that one)

आश्रित्यhaving taken refuge/using as cover; having resorted to

हतःkilled/slain

तुindeed/but

त्वयाby you

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Śikhaṇḍin

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between ideal kṣatriya warfare (direct, fair combat) and battlefield strategy. It frames Bhīṣma’s fall as enabled by reliance on Śikhaṇḍin, raising questions about responsibility, legitimacy of victory, and how dharma is negotiated under extreme circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna points out that Bhīṣma was not defeated in a straightforward duel; rather, while Bhīṣma was engaged with Śikhaṇḍin, Arjuna used Śikhaṇḍin as cover and shot the arrows that brought Bhīṣma down. The statement functions as a reminder/critique of the manner of Bhīṣma’s fall.