Shloka 23

Devanagari script

शिखण्डी तु रणे श्रेष्ठो रक्ष््माण: किरीटिना

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍī tu raṇe śreṣṭho rakṣyamāṇaḥ kirīṭinā | atāḍayan raṇe bhīṣmaṃ sahitāḥ sarvasṛñjayāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In that battle, Śikhaṇḍī—foremost among fighters—being protected by the diademed Arjuna, struck at Bhīṣma. Along with him, all the Sṛñjaya warriors unitedly assailed Bhīṣma from every side, seeking to overwhelm the grandsire through coordinated force.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डी: Shikhandi
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

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

• श्रेष्ठः: excellent/best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रक्ष्यमाणः: being protected
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + यमाण (शानच्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (present participle)

• किरीटिना: by the diademed one (Arjuna)
• किरीटिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरीटिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अताडयन्: they struck/beat
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहिताः: together/combined
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वसृञ्जयाः: all the Sṛñjayas
• सर्वसृञ्जयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + सृञ्जय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Arjuna (Kirīṭin)
• Bhīṣma
• Sṛñjaya warriors
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how dharma in war is entangled with strategy and moral constraints: Bhīṣma’s personal code and reluctance to fight Śikhaṇḍī fully is leveraged by the Pāṇḍava side, showing that outcomes depend not only on strength but on ethical limits, alliances, and tactical protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śikhaṇḍī, shielded by Arjuna, attacks Bhīṣma, while the Sṛñjaya warriors collectively strike at Bhīṣma from all sides, intensifying the assault that will lead toward Bhīṣma’s eventual downfall.