Shloka 13

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)

Devanagari script

एतत्‌ सैन्यं समासाद्य सर्व एव बलोत्कटा:

Transliteration

etat sainyaṃ samāsādya sarva eva balotkaṭāḥ

Translation

Bhishma said: “Having confronted this army, all of them—mighty in strength and fierce in power—stand ready (for the impending clash).”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समासाद्य: having approached / having reached
• समासाद्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• बलोत्कटाः: mighty in strength / very powerful
• बलोत्कटाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल-उत्कट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• army (sainya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line underscores the martial ethic of steadfastness: when armies meet, warriors are expected to stand firm and act according to duty, emphasizing readiness and resolve at the threshold of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes the moment of confrontation—troops have come face to face with the opposing army, and he characterizes them as uniformly formidable, signaling that the situation is poised for battle.