Shloka 39

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः

Devanagari script

समुदते पार्थिवेन्द्रे पार्षते शत्रुसूदने । तमब्रवीत्‌ ततः पार्थ: पार्षत॑ पृततापतिम्‌

Transliteration

saṃudate pārthivendre pārṣate śatrusūdane | tam abravīt tataḥ pārthaḥ pārṣataṃ pṛtatāpatim ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: When the foremost of kings, Pārtha, and the Pārṣata—Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the slayer of foes—had thus spoken and stood ready for battle, Pārtha (Yudhiṣṭhira) addressed that battle-scorching son of Drupada once again.

Word by Word

• समुदते: when (he) was roaring / in the roar
• समुदते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुदत् (सम्+उद्+√द्/√दन्)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पार्थिवेन्द्रे: in/when the king of kings (was ...)
• पार्थिवेन्द्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिवेन्द्र (पार्थिव + इन्द्र)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पार्षते: in/when the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शत्रुसूदने: in/when the slayer of foes
• शत्रुसूदने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुसूदन (शत्रु + सूदन)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-तसिल्)

• पार्थः: the son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्षतम्: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पृततापतिम्: the lord/leader of the army (commander)
• पृततापतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृततापति (पृत + तापति)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Kuntī)
• Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna, son of Drupada)
• Drupada (implied by patronymic)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, righteous leadership requires deliberate speech and accountability. The verse frames command not as mere aggression but as ethically guided direction—Yudhiṣṭhira’s renewed address to the commander highlights restraint, clarity of purpose, and responsibility for how battle is conducted.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that after the kingly Pārtha and the Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna) are poised for battle, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks again to Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the Pāṇḍava commander, indicating further instructions or counsel before action proceeds.