Shloka 42

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

आजघान महाबाहु: पार्षतं त॑ं महारथम्‌ । त॑ चैव पार्षतो राजन हार्दिक्यं नवभि: शरै:

Transliteration

ājaghāna mahābāhuḥ pārṣataṃ taṃ mahāratham | taṃ caiva pārṣato rājan hārdikyaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The mighty-armed warrior struck that great chariot-fighter, the son of Pṛṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna). And in return, O King, the son of Pṛṣata struck Hārdikya (Kṛtavarman) with nine arrows.

Word by Word

• आजघान: struck, smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (√हन्)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed (one)
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पार्षतम्: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

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

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पार्षतः: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• हार्दिक्यम्: the son of Hrdika (Kritavarman)
• हार्दिक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार्दिक्य
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• नवभिः: with nine
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन्
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata, son of Pṛṣata)
• Kṛtavarman (Hārdikya)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma: warriors meet aggression with disciplined counteraction, maintaining courage and resolve even amid escalating violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s report to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, a mighty-armed warrior strikes Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Dhṛṣṭadyumna immediately retaliates by piercing Kṛtavarman (Hārdikya) with nine arrows, showing rapid exchange between leading fighters.