Shloka 18
Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry
Rājadharma Prelude
Devanagari script
लोहितोदां केशतृणां गजशैलां ध्वजद्रुमाम् । महीं करोति युद्धेषु क्षत्रियो यः स धर्मवित्,जो क्षत्रिय युद्धभूमिमें रक्तरूपी जल, केशरूपी तृण, हाथीरूपी पर्वत और ध्वजरूपी वक्षोंसे युक्त खूनकी नदी बहा देता है, वह धर्मका ज्ञाता है
Transliteration
Bhiṣma uvāca: lohitodāṃ keśatṛṇāṃ gajaśailāṃ dhvajadrumām | mahīṃ karoti yuddheṣu kṣatriyo yaḥ sa dharmavit ||
Translation
Bhishma said: The Kshatriya who, in battles, turns the earth into a dreadful landscape—where blood is like water, severed hair like grass, elephants like mountains, and banners like trees—such a warrior is called a knower of dharma.
Word by Word
लोहित-उदाम्having blood as water
लोहित-उदाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootलोहित + उद (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
केश-तृणाम्having hair as grass
केश-तृणाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकेश + तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
गज-शैलाम्having elephants as mountains
गज-शैलाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootगज + शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
ध्वज-द्रुमाम्having banners as trees
ध्वज-द्रुमाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootध्वज + द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
महीम्the earth
महीम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमही (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
करोतिmakes
करोति:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Singular
युद्धेषुin battles
युद्धेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
क्षत्रियःa warrior (kshatriya)
क्षत्रियः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यःwho
यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्म-वित्knower of dharma
धर्म-वित्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; -वित्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaK
KshatriyaE
earth (mahī)B
battle (yuddha)B
blood (lohita)H
hair (keśa)E
elephants (gaja)B
banners/standards (dhvaja)Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes