Shloka 16

भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103

Devanagari script

मोहयित्वा कृपं द्रोणं द्रौणिं च सबूहदूबलम्‌ | सैन्धवं च महेष्वासो व्यचरल्लघु सुष्ठ च

Transliteration

mohayitvā kṛpaṃ droṇaṃ drauṇiṃ ca sabṛhadbalam | saindhavaṃ ca maheṣvāso vyacaral laghu suṣṭhu ca ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having bewildered Kṛpa, Droṇa, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā), and Bṛhadbala, and also the Sindhu king Jayadratha, the great archer moved about on all sides—swiftly and with striking grace.

Word by Word

• मोहयित्वा: having deluded/bewildered
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (मोहयति)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-प्रयोग (causative sense)

• कृपम्: Kripa
• कृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रौणिम्: Drauni (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बृहद्बलम्: Brihadbala (the great-strong one)
• बृहद्बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सैन्धवम्: the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha)
• सैन्धवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महेष्वासः: the great archer
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यचरৎ: moved about / roamed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• लघु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)

• सुष्ठु: well / excellently
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुष्ठु

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Bṛhadbala
• Jayadratha (Saindhava, Sindhu king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how exceptional skill and presence of mind can momentarily overturn even formidable opposition; ethically, it also points to the tension in war where brilliance and duty operate within a destructive arena, testing the boundaries of righteous conduct (dharma) and strategic necessity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu’s battlefield movement: he confounds senior Kaurava-side warriors—Kṛpa, Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā, Bṛhadbala, and Jayadratha—and then ranges swiftly in multiple directions, indicating dominance and agility in the ongoing combat.