Shloka 40

Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)

Devanagari script

शिखण्डी तु समासाद्य भरतानां पितामहम्‌ | अभ्यद्रवत संदह्ृष्टो भयं त्यक्त्वा महारथात्‌,शिखण्डीने भरतकुलके पितामह भीष्मके निकट पहुँचकर उन महारथी भीष्मसे सम्भावित भयको त्यागकर बड़े हर्षके साथ उनपर धावा किया

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍī tu samāsādya bharatānāṁ pitāmaham | abhyadravat saṁhṛṣṭo bhayaṁ tyaktvā mahārathāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having come up close to Bhīṣma, the grandsire of the Bharatas, Śikhaṇḍī—casting aside fear—charged at that great chariot-warrior with exultant resolve.

Word by Word

शिखण्डीShikhandi

तुbut/indeed

समासाद्यhaving approached/reached

भरतानाम्of the Bharatas

पितामहम्the grandsire (Bhishma)

अभ्यद्रवत्ran towards/charged

संदहृष्टःgreatly delighted/overjoyed

भयम्fear

त्यक्त्वाhaving abandoned

महारथात्from the great chariot-warrior (i.e., from the great warrior)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Shikhandi

Bhishma

Bharatas

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 the warrior ethic of overcoming fear in pursuit of one’s chosen duty and objective. It also hints at the moral complexity of war: even a revered elder like Bhishma may be confronted when the larger course of dharma and strategy demands it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Shikhandi closes in on Bhishma and, abandoning fear, rushes to attack him with great enthusiasm—an important tactical moment in the Kurukshetra battle where Shikhandi’s presence affects Bhishma’s response.