Shloka 4

Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion

Bṛhannadā/Arjuna

Devanagari script

प्रध्माय शड्खं गाड़ेयो धार्तराष्ट्रान्‌ प्रहर्षपन्‌ । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य बीभत्सुं समवारयत्‌,गंगानन्दन भीष्मने शंख बजाकर धुृतराष्ट्रपुत्रोंका हर्ष बढ़ाया और दाहिनी ओर मुड़कर अर्जुनको आगे बढ़नेसे रोका

Transliteration

pradhmāya śaṅkhaṃ gāṅgeyo dhārtarāṣṭrān praharṣayan | pradakṣiṇam upāvṛtya bībhatsuṃ samavārayat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Bhīṣma, der Sohn der Gaṅgā, blies sein Muschelhorn und erfüllte die Söhne Dhṛtarāṣṭras mit Jubel. Dann wandte er sich in einer feierlich glückverheißenden Bewegung nach rechts und hielt Arjuna (Bībhatsu) zurück, sodass er nicht voranstürmte.

Word by Word

• प्रध्माय: having blown
• प्रध्माय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ध्मा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• शङ्खम्: conch
• शङ्खम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गाङ्गेयः: Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma)
• गाङ्गेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धार्तराष्ट्रान्: the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra / the Kauravas
• धार्तराष्ट्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रहर्षपन्: gladdening / causing to rejoice
• प्रहर्षपन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), कर्तरि, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रदक्षिणम्: to the right (rightward)
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उपावृत्य: having turned (back/aside)
• उपावृत्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• बीभत्सुम्: Bībhatsu (Arjuna)
• बीभत्सुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीभत्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समवारयत्: restrained / held back
• समवारयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-वारय् (धातु; causative of √वृ/√वार् in sense 'to restrain')
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya)
• Gaṅgā
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kauravas (Dhārtarāṣṭras)
• Arjuna (Bībhatsu)
• Śaṅkha (conch)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined conduct in warfare: leaders use signals and auspicious, orderly movements to regulate action. Even a mighty warrior like Arjuna is subject to restraint and command, reflecting kṣatriya-dharma—courage guided by control and proper procedure rather than impulsive aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma sounds his conch to raise the morale of the Kaurava side. Then, by turning to the right in a formal manner, he signals and physically/strategically restrains Arjuna (Bībhatsu) from moving forward, indicating a tactical check or a commanded halt.