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Shloka 27

भीष्म-युधिष्ठिर-संमर्दः

Bhīṣma’s Pressure on Yudhiṣṭhira; Śikhaṇḍī’s Approach; Evening Withdrawal

अभिमन्युर्महाराज तावकान्‌ समकम्पयत्‌ | यथा देवासुरे युद्धे वज्पाणि्महासुरान्‌,महाराज! अभिमन्यु अस्त्रविद्याका ज्ञाता और युद्धमें उन्‍्मत्त होकर लड़नेवाला है। उसने समरभूमिमें बाणोंसे पीड़ित होनेपर भी आपके सैनिकोंमें कँपकँपी उत्पन्न कर दी। ठीक उसी तरह, जैसे देवासुर-संग्राममें वज्रधारी इन्द्रने बड़े-बड़े असुरोंको भयसे पीड़ित कर दिया था

abhimanyur mahārāja tāvakān samakampayat | yathā devāsure yuddhe vajrapāṇir mahāsurān ||

Sañjaya said: “O King, Abhimanyu made your warriors tremble. Just as, in the war between the gods and the demons, Indra—wielder of the thunderbolt—shook the mighty asuras with fear, so did Abhimanyu strike terror on the battlefield through his prowess.”

अभिमन्युःAbhimanyu
अभिमन्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअभिमन्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महाराजO great king
महाराज:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाराज
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
तावकान्your (men/soldiers)
तावकान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootतावक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समकम्पयत्made (them) tremble
समकम्पयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootकम्प्
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, true
यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
देवासुरेin the (battle) of gods and asuras
देवासुरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेवासुर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
युद्धेin battle
युद्धे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुद्ध
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
वज्रपाणिःIndra (the thunderbolt-handed)
वज्रपाणिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवज्रपाणि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महासुरान्great asuras
महासुरान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहासुर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
A
Abhimanyu
I
Indra (Vajrapāṇi)
D
Devas
A
Asuras
K
Kaurava army (tāvakāḥ)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how extraordinary courage and martial skill can decisively affect morale in war: a single steadfast warrior can shake an entire host. Ethically, it underscores the kṣatriya ideal of fearless engagement in battle and the psychological dimension of dharma-yuddha, where resolve and discipline matter as much as weapons.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Abhimanyu has caused the Kaurava troops to tremble on the battlefield. To convey the scale of Abhimanyu’s impact, he compares him to Indra, who in the ancient devasura war struck fear into powerful asuras with his thunderbolt.