Shloka 10

भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception

Devanagari script

सो$तिविद्धो महाराज शोणितौघपरिप्लुत: । वसन्ते पुष्पशबलो रक्ताशोक इवाबभौ

Transliteration

so ’tividdho mahārāja śoṇitaughapariplutaḥ | vasante puṣpaśabalo raktāśoka ivābabhau ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O großer König, von Pfeilen durch und durch getroffen und von Blutströmen überflutet, erschien er wie ein roter Aśoka-Baum im Frühling, bunt von Blüten.

Word by Word

सःhe

अतिविद्धःpierced through; severely wounded

महाराजO great king

शोणितौघपरिप्लुतःflooded/covered by a stream of blood

वसन्तेin spring

पुष्पशबलःvariegated with flowers

रक्ताशोकःa red Aśoka tree

इवlike; as if

अबभौshone; appeared

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Aśoka tree (raktāśoka)

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 moral tension of war: even when courage appears radiant, it is inseparable from pain and bloodshed. The poetic beauty of the simile does not glorify violence so much as reveal its tragic cost.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior who has been grievously pierced and is soaked in blood; yet, in appearance he seems like a red Aśoka tree in spring, covered with blossoms—an image for a body marked by wounds and blood.