Shloka 80
Devanagari script
ततस्तमिषुमादाय विष्णुसोमाग्निसम्भवम्
Transliteration
tatastam iṣum ādāya viṣṇu-soma-agni-sambhavam
Translation
Then the grandsire took up that arrow—said to have arisen from the combined potency of Viṣṇu, Soma, and Agni—signaling the deliberate use of a divinely empowered weapon in the unfolding moral crisis of war.
Word by Word
ततःthen; thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्
FormAvyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/then')
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इषुम्arrow
इषुम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootइषु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आदायhaving taken
आदाय:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + दा
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable; 'having taken'
विष्णु-सोम-अग्नि-सम्भवम्born of (originating from) Viṣṇu, Soma, and Agni
विष्णु-सोम-अग्नि-सम्भवम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्भव (from सम् + भू) / सम्भव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
पितामह उवाच
Characters & Entities
प
पितामह (Bhīṣma)इ
इषु (divine arrow)व
विष्णुस
सोमअ
अग्निCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the gravity of invoking divinely sourced force in battle: power is not merely technical but morally weighty, and its use implies responsibility, restraint, and awareness of dharma amid violence.
Bhīṣma (the grandsire) takes up a particular arrow described as born from the powers of Viṣṇu, Soma, and Agni, indicating preparation to employ an extraordinary, consecrated missile in the ongoing conflict.