Shloka 22

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ९६: सौभद्रस्य आक्रमणम्, अलम्बुसस्य प्रतिविधानम्

Abhimanyu’s assault; Alambusa’s counter-engagement

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यं समरे राजन्‌ प्रार्थयाना: समभ्ययु:

Transliteration

anyonyam samare rājan prārthayānāḥ samabhyayuḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: O King, in the thick of battle they advanced toward one another, each calling out and challenging the other—an image of warriors driven by rivalry and resolve as the clash of arms tightened into direct confrontation.

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यम्: each other / mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रार्थयानाः: requesting / entreating
• प्रार्थयानाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रार्थय्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)

• समभ्ययुः: they approached / came together
• समभ्ययुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the reciprocal nature of conflict: when opponents meet with mutual challenge and pride, battle intensifies. Ethically, it points to how rivalry and provocation can propel violence forward, underscoring the need for restraint and discernment even amid kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the combatants moved toward each other in the battlefield, mutually calling out and challenging one another as they closed in for direct engagement.