Shloka 33

Devanagari script

वर्धमानो जयाशोीर्भिनिर्यियौ सैनिकैर्वृत: । आपगेय॑ पुरस्कृत्य भ्रातृभि: सहितस्तदा,इस प्रकार शत्रुसेनाको पीड़ित करनेवाले भीष्मको सेनापति बनाकर दुर्योधनने श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंसे स्‍्वस्तिवाचन कराया और उन्हें गौओं तथा सुवर्णमुद्राओंकी भूरि-भूरि दक्षिणाएँ दीं। उस समय ब्राह्मणोंने विजयसूचक आशीर्वादोंद्वारा राजाका अभ्युदय मनाया और वह सैनिकोंसे घिरकर भीष्मजीको आगे करके भाइयोंके साथ हस्तिनापुरसे बाहर निकला तथा विशाल तम्बू-शामियानोंके साथ कुरुक्षेत्रको गया

Transliteration

vardhamāno jayāśīrbhir niryayau sainikair vṛtaḥ | āpageyaṃ puraskṛtya bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitas tadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus, as blessings of victory were being pronounced, the king set out, surrounded by his troops. Placing Bhīṣma—Āpageya—at the forefront, he departed then together with his brothers.

Word by Word

वर्धमानःincreasing, growing (in glory/strength)

जयाशीर्भिःwith victory-blessings

निर्ययौwent out, departed

सैनिकैःby/with soldiers

वृतःsurrounded, encompassed

आपगेयम्Āpageya (Bhīṣma), son of the river (Gaṅgā)

पुरस्कृत्यhaving placed in front; having honored/put forward

भ्रातृभिःwith brothers

सहितःaccompanied, together with

तदाthen, at that time

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīṣma (Āpageya)

Duryodhana (implied by context)

Duryodhana's brothers (Kauravas; implied by 'bhrātṛbhiḥ')

soldiers/troops

Character 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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how political and military decisions are publicly sanctified through auspicious rites and victory-blessings, creating an appearance of righteousness. It invites reflection on the ethical tension between ritual legitimacy and the underlying justice of the cause—an important Mahābhārata theme where dharma is not guaranteed by ceremony alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

After receiving victory-benedictions, the Kaurava king departs from the city with his forces. Bhīṣma, called Āpageya, is placed at the head of the march, and the king proceeds together with his brothers, signaling the formal commencement of the war-bound movement.