Shloka 49

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

Devanagari script

सत्त्ववन्तो 5भिधावेयु: कुर्वन्तो भैरवान्‌ रवान्‌,इतनी बात सुनते ही धैर्यवान्‌ और शक्तिशाली वीर भयंकर सिंहनाद करते हुए शत्रुओंपर टूट पड़ें

Transliteration

sattvavanto ’bhidhāveyuḥ kurvanto bhairavān ravān

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Bei diesen Worten würden die standhaften und mächtigen Krieger nach vorn stürmen, furchterregende Schlachtrufe erheben und über den Feind herfallen.“

Word by Word

• सत्त्ववन्तः: possessed of strength/valor
• सत्त्ववन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्ववत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभिधावेयुः: would run towards / would charge
• अभिधावेयुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कुर्वन्तः: doing / making
• कुर्वन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भैरवान्: terrible, fearsome
• भैरवान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रवान्: roars, cries, sounds
• रवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• warriors (vīrāḥ, implied)
• enemies (śatravaḥ, implied)
• battle-cries/roars (ravāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast courage: when duty calls and a command or signal is given, the brave act decisively, expressing fearlessness and resolve rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a battlefield reaction: upon hearing a prompt (implied by context), courageous warriors surge forward, shouting fierce cries and attacking the opposing side.