Shloka 96

भीष्मस्य शरवर्षः — Bhīṣma’s Arrow-Storm and Kṛṣṇa’s Impulse to Intervene

Devanagari script

अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां स्थिता व्यूहस्य दंशिता: । उधर राजा युधिष्ठिर, पाण्डुकुमार भीमसेन, माद्रीके दोनों पुत्र नकुल और सहदेव सब सेनाओं तथा व्यूहके अग्र भागमें कवच बाँधकर खड़े हुए

Transliteration

agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṁ sthitā vyūhasya daṁśitāḥ | udhara rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ pāṇḍukumāro bhīmasenaḥ mādrīke dvau putrau nakulaḥ saha­devaś ca sarvasenāsu tathā vyūhasyāgra-bhāge kavacaṁ baddhvā tiṣṭhanti |

Translation

Sañjaya said: At the very front of all the armies, at the head of the battle-formation, stood the leaders fully armed. There were King Yudhiṣṭhira, the Pāṇḍava Bhīmasena, and Mādrī’s two sons, Nakula and Sahadeva—having fastened their armor and taking their place at the foremost edge of the array, ready to uphold their duty in the coming clash.

Word by Word

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• सर्वसैन्यानाम्: of all armies
• सर्वसैन्यानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वसैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• स्थिता: stood/placed
• स्थिता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Past passive participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यूहस्य: of the battle-array
• व्यूहस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दंशिताः: armoured, having put on armour
• दंशिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंशित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīmasena
• Mādrī
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• vyūha (battle-formation)
• kavaca (armor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: leaders do not remain behind but take responsibility at the forefront, prepared and disciplined, placing duty and protection of their side above personal comfort.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the Pāṇḍava leaders’ positioning: Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva stand at the head of the battle-array, armored and ready, indicating the imminent engagement and the organized nature of the armies.