Shloka 36

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

सो&5तिविद्धो महेष्वास: पुत्रेण तव धन्विना । व्यराजत रणे पार्थ: किंशुकः पुष्पवानिव,आपके धनुर्धर पुत्रद्वारा युद्धमें अधिक घायल किये जानेपर महाधनुर्धर अर्जुन खिले हुए पलाशवृक्षके समान शोभा पाने लगे

Transliteration

so 'tividdho maheṣvāsaḥ putreṇa tava dhanvinā | vyarājata raṇe pārthaḥ kiṃśukaḥ puṣpavān iva ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Though struck again and again by your bow-wielding son, the great archer Pārtha shone on the battlefield like a kiṃśuka tree in full bloom. Even wounded, Arjuna’s resolve and radiance in righteous combat did not diminish, but stood out all the more.

Word by Word

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिविद्धः: pierced very much / grievously wounded
• अतिविद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिविद्ध (वि√व्यध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महेष्वासः: great archer
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्रेण: by (your) son
• पुत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तव: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• धन्विना: by the bowman / archer
• धन्विना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विराजत: shone, appeared splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√राज्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किंशुकः: a palāśa tree (Butea monosperma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंशुक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुष्पवान्: flowering, full of blossoms
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha, son of Pṛthā)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (unnamed here; a Kaurava prince)
• Bow (dhanus, implied by dhanvin)
• Battlefield (raṇa)
• Kiṃśuka/Palāśa tree (Butea monosperma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfast valor: a righteous warrior’s inner resolve can make him appear even more radiant amid suffering. The poetic image suggests that wounds do not necessarily diminish dharmic courage; they can reveal it more vividly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, though heavily pierced by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son’s arrows, continues to stand out in battle, shining like a palāśa (kiṃśuka) tree covered with blossoms.