Shloka 26

Devanagari script

चेदिभिस्तु सपञ्चालै: सहितो वानरध्वज: । ययौ शान्तनवं भीष्म पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्‌,वानरचिह्लित ध्वजासे विभूषित अर्जुनने चेदि तथा पांचालदेशके वीरोंके साथ शिखण्डीको आगे करके शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मपर चढ़ाई की

Transliteration

cedibhis tu sa-pañcālaiḥ sahito vānaradhvajaḥ | yayau śāntanavaṃ bhīṣmaṃ puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Accompanied by the Cedis and the Pañcālas, Arjuna—whose banner bore the emblem of a monkey—advanced against Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, placing Śikhaṇḍin in the forefront.

Word by Word

चेदिभिःby/with the Cedis

तुbut/indeed

सपञ्चालैःtogether with the Panchalas

सहितःaccompanied (by), together with

वानरध्वजःArjuna (he whose banner bears a monkey)

ययौwent/advanced

शान्तनवम्the son of Shantanu (Bhishma)

भीष्मम्Bhishma

पुरस्कृत्यhaving placed in front; putting forward

शिखण्डिनम्Shikhandin

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Vānaradhvaja)

Bhīṣma (Śāntanava)

Śikhaṇḍin

Cedi

Pañcāla

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?

Even in war, outcomes are shaped by dharma-bound constraints: Bhīṣma’s personal vows and ethical limits become decisive factors, so strategy must account not only for strength but for the moral commitments of the opponents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, supported by the Cedi and Pañcāla forces, advances to attack Bhīṣma and deliberately places Śikhaṇḍin at the front—an arrangement intended to neutralize Bhīṣma’s resistance due to his stance toward Śikhaṇḍin.