Shloka 17

Adhyāya 112: Bhīṣma-prati Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ

Arjuna’s Forward Drive Toward Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

पश्य सैन्यानि गाड़्ेय द्रवमाणानि सर्वश: । पाण्डवेन युधां श्रेष्ठ काल्यमानानि संयुगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

paśya sainyāni gāṅgeya dravamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ |

pāṇḍavena yudhāṃ śreṣṭha kālyamānāni saṃyuge ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Behold, O descendant of the Gaṅgā—O best of warriors—my troops are fleeing in every direction, while the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), standing firm in the thick of battle, is driving them on and pressing them hard.”

Word by Word

• पश्य: see, behold
• पश्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (दृश्-अर्थे)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सैन्यानि: armies, troops
• सैन्यानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• गाङ्गेय: O son of Ganga (Bhishma)
• गाङ्गेय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• द्रवमाणानि: fleeing, running away
• द्रवमाणानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रु (धातु) → द्रवत्/द्रवमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन, शानच् (वर्तमान कृदन्त), आत्मनेपद-प्रयोग (मध्यम/कर्तरि)

• सर्वशः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस् (अव्यय)

• पाण्डवेन: by the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• युधाम्: of battles/fights
• युधाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (प्रातिपदिक: युध्/युधा- ‘fight, battle’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• श्रेष्ठ: best, foremost
• श्रेष्ठ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• काल्यमानानि: being driven/chased
• काल्यमानानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्/काल् (धातु ‘चालयति/प्रेरयति’ अर्थे) → काल्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन, यमान (वर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त), कर्मणि

• संयुगे: in battle, in the combat
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya)
• Arjuna (Pāṇḍava)
• Kaurava army (implied by 'my troops')
• Battlefield (saṃyuga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a key ethical reality of war: morale and righteous resolve shape outcomes. Even a vast force collapses when courage breaks, while disciplined valor—here embodied by Arjuna—can turn the tide. It implicitly underscores kṣatriya-dharma: steadfastness in battle and the consequences of fear and disarray.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Bhīṣma that the Kaurava troops are fleeing in all directions. Arjuna, the Pāṇḍava hero, is actively pursuing and pressing them on the battlefield, causing a rout and intensifying the Kaurava panic.