Shloka 20

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

कथं चातिरथस्तेन पाञज्चाल्येन शिखण्डिना । भीष्मो विनिहतो युद्धे देवेरपि दुरासद:,भीष्म तो युद्धमें देवताओंके लिये भी दुर्जय एवं अतिरथी थे, फिर पांचालराजकुमार शिखण्डीके हाथसे वे किस प्रकार मारे गये?

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |

kathaṃ cātirathas tena pāñcālyena śikhaṇḍinā |

bhīṣmo vinihato yuddhe devair api durāsadaḥ ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “How was Bhīṣma—an atiratha, formidable in battle and difficult to overcome even for the gods—slain in war by that Pāñcāla prince Śikhaṇḍin? (Tell me the manner and cause by which such an invincible warrior fell.)”

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अतिरथः: a great chariot-warrior (atiratha)
• अतिरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पाञ्चाल्येन: by the Panchala (warrior/prince)
• पाञ्चाल्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शिखण्डिना: by Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• विनिहतः: slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• दुरासदः: hard to approach/assail; invincible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīṣma
• Śikhaṇḍin (Śikhaṇḍī)
• Pāñcāla
• Devas (gods)