Shloka 476

Devanagari script

बहुधा भीष्ममानर्च्छुर्मार्गणै: क्षतमार्गणै: । ये सभी वीर सुदृढ़ धनुष धारण करनेवाले और युद्धसे कभी पीछे न हटनेवाले थे। इन्होंने शत्रुओंके बाणोंको नष्ट करनेवाले सायकोंद्वारा भीष्मको बारंबार पीड़ित किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | bahudhā bhīṣmam ānarccur mārgaṇaiḥ kṣatamārgaṇaiḥ |

Translation

Sanjaya said: Again and again they assailed Bhishma with volleys of arrows—arrows already blunted and broken in their flight—yet still they pressed on. Those warriors, steadfast bearers of strong bows and never turning back from battle, repeatedly tormented Bhishma with shafts meant to shatter the enemy’s missiles, intensifying the fierce contest around the grandsire.

Word by Word

• बहुधा: many times, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma (as object)
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आनर्च्छुः: they struck/assailed (repeatedly)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नर्च्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मार्गणैः: with arrows
• मार्गणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्षतमार्गणैः: with arrows that were damaged/broken
• क्षतमार्गणैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत-मार्गण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhishma
• arrows (mārgaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage underscores kshatriya steadfastness in battle—warriors do not retreat and continue their duty even amid intense danger—while also highlighting the grim ethical weight of warfare, where skill and persistence can become instruments of relentless suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a moment in the Kurukshetra battle where warriors repeatedly attack Bhishma with volleys of arrows, including shafts intended to neutralize opposing missiles, thereby continually harassing and wounding the grandsire amid a concentrated exchange of archery.