Shloka 446

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

वारयामास पार्थस्य भीष्म: शान्तनवस्तदा । माननीय महाराज! उस समय शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मने अर्जुनके इस बाणसमूहका अपने बाणसमूहसे निवारण कर दिया

Transliteration

vārayāmāsa pārthasya bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavas tadā |

Translation

Sañjaya said: At that time Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, checked Arjuna’s oncoming volley of arrows with a counter-volley of his own—showing how, in the heat of war, mastery must be met by mastery, and valor is tempered by disciplined restraint rather than reckless fury.

Word by Word

• वारयामास: checked, warded off
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (√वार्)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), 3, singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शान्तनवः: son of Shantanu
• शान्तनवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तदा: then, at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Śāntanu
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violent conflict, dharma for a warrior emphasizes disciplined skill and measured response: Bhīṣma does not lash out blindly but neutralizes the threat with controlled mastery, illustrating restraint within duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna releases a mass of arrows; Bhīṣma, identified as Śāntanu’s son, counters them with his own arrows and thereby blocks Arjuna’s attack.