Shloka 7

Ghaṭotkaca Slays Alāyudha (Night Battle and Māyā Countermeasures) / घटोत्कचेन अलायुधवधः

Devanagari script

एतेनैवार्जुनं ज्ञातुमलं कौरव संयुगे । यच्छिखण्ड्यवधीदू भीष्मं पाल्यमान: किरीटिना,कुरुनन्दन! अर्जुनको तो केवल इसी बातसे समझ लेना चाहिये था कि उनके द्वारा सुरक्षित होकर शिखण्डीने भी युद्धके मैदानमें भीष्मको मार डाला

Transliteration

etenaivārjunaṁ jñātum alaṁ kaurava saṁyuge | yac chikhaṇḍy avadhīd bhīṣmaṁ pālyamānaḥ kirīṭinā, kurunandana |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Dies allein hätte Arjuna genügen müssen, o Nachkomme der Kuru, im Kampf gegen die Kauravas zu erkennen: dass Śikhaṇḍī Bhīṣma auf dem Schlachtfeld nur deshalb niederstrecken konnte, weil er unter dem Schutz des diademtragenden Arjuna stand. Das Ereignis selbst zeigt, wie entscheidend Arjunas Schirmherrschaft und seine strategische Zurückhaltung beim Sturz des ehrwürdigen Ahnherrn waren.“

Word by Word

एतेनby this (fact/means)

एवindeed/only

अर्जुनम्Arjuna

ज्ञातुम्to know/understand

अलम्enough/sufficient

कौरवO Kaurava

संयुगेin battle

यत्that which/that (fact) that

शिखण्डीShikhandi

अवधीत्killed/slew

उindeed/just (emphatic particle)

भीष्मम्Bhishma

पाल्यमानःbeing protected/guarded

किरीटिनाby the diademed one (Arjuna)

कुरुनन्दनO joy of the Kurus

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna

Śikhaṇḍī

Bhīṣma

Kauravas

Kurunandana (address)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that outcomes in war often depend on enabling conditions: Śikhaṇḍī could bring down Bhīṣma only because Arjuna shielded him. Ethically, it underscores responsibility for indirect causation—protection, positioning, and restraint can be as decisive as the final blow.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reminds the Kuru listener that Arjuna’s protection made it possible for Śikhaṇḍī to confront Bhīṣma, who would not retaliate against Śikhaṇḍī. Under Arjuna’s cover, Śikhaṇḍī’s attack led to Bhīṣma’s downfall on the battlefield.