Shloka 17

Devanagari script

त॑ दृष्टवा पाण्डवं राजन्नभिवाद्याग्रत: स्थितम्‌ । अभ्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भीष्म: प्रीतो धनंजयम्‌

Transliteration

taṁ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavaṁ rājann abhivādya agrataḥ sthitam | abhyabhāṣata dharmātmā bhīṣmaḥ prīto dhanañjayam ||

Translation

Seeing the Pāṇḍava prince Arjuna standing in front after offering his respectful salutation, Bhīṣma—steadfast in dharma—was filled with joy, O King, and addressed Dhanañjaya—

Word by Word

• तत्: that (him/that one)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• पाण्डवम्: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + वद्
• Form: ल्यप् (gerund), अभि

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतस्

• स्थितम्: standing
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यभाषत: spoke to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भाष्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, अभि

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रीतः: pleased
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्री
• Form: क्त (PPP used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धनंजयम्: Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Arjuna (Pāṇḍava, Dhanañjaya)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid impending battle, dharmic conduct is shown through humility and proper respect: Arjuna’s salutation (abhivāda) exemplifies disciplined virtue, and Bhīṣma’s pleased response highlights that righteousness is recognized and honored even between opponents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the king that Bhīṣma sees Arjuna standing before him after offering respectful obeisance; pleased, Bhīṣma then addresses Arjuna, setting a tone of solemn, ethical engagement before the conflict.