Shloka 30

Adhyāya 107 — बहुयुद्धप्रकरणम्

Multiple Defensive Engagements to Protect Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

तस्यायसीं महाशक्तिं चिक्षेपाथ पितामह: । हेमचित्रां महावेगां नागकन्योपमां शुभाम्‌,पितामहने सात्यकिपर लोहेकी बनी हुई एक विशाल शक्ति चलायी, जो सुवर्णजटित, अत्यन्त वेगशालिनी तथा सर्पिणीके समान आकारवाली एवं सुन्दर थी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tasyāyasīṁ mahāśaktiṁ cikṣepātha pitāmahaḥ | hemacitrāṁ mahāvegāṁ nāgakanyopamāṁ śubhām |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the Grandsire hurled at him a great iron spear—adorned with gold, driven with tremendous speed, beautiful, and shaped like a serpent-maiden.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/that (of Sātyaki)

आयसीम्made of iron

महाशक्तिम्a great spear/weapon (śakti)

चिक्षेपthrew/cast

अथthen

पितामहःthe grandsire (Bhīṣma)

हेमचित्राम्adorned/variegated with gold

महावेगाम्of great speed/impetus

नागकन्याa nāga-maiden (serpent-girl)

उपमाम्like; comparable to

शुभाम्beautiful/auspicious

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

mahāśakti (iron spear/javelin)

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 kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form: in a righteous war, even a venerable elder like Bhīṣma must act with decisive martial force. Ethical weight lies not in ornamented power, but in disciplined action aligned with duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Bhīṣma (the Grandsire) hurls a massive iron śakti (spear/javelin) at his opponent, described as gold-adorned, extremely swift, and serpent-like in appearance.