Shloka 46

Devanagari script

द्रवतश्न महीपालान्‌ पश्य यौधिष्ठिरे बले । दृष्टवा हि भीष्म समरे व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्‌

Transliteration

dravataś ca mahīpālān paśya yudhiṣṭhire bale | dṛṣṭvā hi bhīṣmaṃ samare vyāttānanaṃ ivāntakam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Behold, O Yudhiṣṭhira, the kings in your army fleeing in panic; for on seeing Bhīṣma in the thick of battle—his mouth as it were wide-open like Death itself—they lose heart and scatter.”

Word by Word

• द्रवत: running, fleeing
• द्रवत: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रवत् (धाव्-धातु से वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• नृपालान्: kings (protectors of men)
• नृपालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पश्य: see!
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular

• यौधिष्ठिरे: in/within Yudhishthira's (army)
• यौधिष्ठिरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौधिष्ठिर (युधिष्ठिर-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बले: in the army/force
• बले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

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

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यात्ताननम्: with mouth wide open
• व्यात्ताननम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यात्तानन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अन्तकम्: Death (the Ender)
• अन्तकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma
• mahīpāla (kings)
• Antaka (Death personified)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the visible presence of overwhelming power can collapse morale: fear spreads quickly in war, and leaders must recognize that courage and steadiness are ethical and strategic necessities when dharma is tested under pressure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Yudhiṣṭhira that many kings in the Pāṇḍava host are fleeing upon seeing Bhīṣma raging in battle, compared to Antaka (Death) with a gaping mouth—an image emphasizing Bhīṣma’s terrifying, seemingly unstoppable force.