Shloka 11

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः

Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma

Devanagari script

आत्मनि:श्रेयसं सर्वे प्राप्तकालं महाबला: । मन्त्रयामासुरव्यग्रा मन्त्रनिश्चयकोविदा:

Transliteration

ātmaniḥśreyasaṁ sarve prāptakālaṁ mahābalāḥ | mantrayāmāsur avyagrā mantraniścayakovidāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then all those mighty warriors, judging the moment to be ripe, calmly deliberated about what would best secure their own welfare. Unagitated, they conferred with one another—skilled in counsel and adept at arriving at a firm decision.

Word by Word

• आत्मनि:श्रेयसम्: one's own highest good
• आत्मनि:श्रेयसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मनि-श्रेयस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राप्तकालम्: the proper/arrived time
• प्राप्तकालम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त-काल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाबलाः: mighty (men)
• महाबलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्त्रयामासुः: they deliberated/counselled
• मन्त्रयामासुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्त्रय् (मन्त्रयते)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अव्यग्राः: unagitated, composed
• अव्यग्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्त्रनिश्चयकोविदाः: skilled in reaching decisions by counsel
• मन्त्रनिश्चयकोविदाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र-निश्चय-कोविद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahābalāḥ (mighty warriors; collective group)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, wise leaders pause to assess the opportune moment and deliberate calmly for the greatest welfare; composure and clear counsel are presented as strengths equal to physical might.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the assembled powerful warriors, seeing the time as appropriate, begin a composed strategic consultation aimed at deciding what course will best serve their interests.