Shloka 26

भीष्म–रामजामदग्न्ययुद्धप्रस्थानवर्णनम्

Bhishma’s Account of Parashurama’s Challenge and the March to Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

तत एनं समुद्विग्ना: सर्व एवाभिदुद्रुवु: । तपोधनास्ते सहसा काश्या च कुरुनन्दन

Transliteration

tata enaṁ samudvignāḥ sarva evābhidudruvuḥ | tapodhanās te sahasā kāśyā ca kurunandana ||

Translation

Then all of them—deeply agitated—ran at once toward him. Those ascetics, and the daughter of the king of Kāśī as well, O joy of the Kurus, hurriedly gathered around, embraced and soothed him, sprinkling cool water and offering blessings that signified victory, seeking to calm his distress.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समुद्विग्नाः: agitated, distressed
• समुद्विग्नाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्विग्न (वि-√द्विज्/√द्विज्-आधारित विशेषण; 'उद्विग्न' प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya

• अभिदुद्रुवुः: ran up (towards), rushed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√द्रु (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (Luṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• तपोधनाः: ascetics rich in austerity (sages)
• तपोधनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सहसा: suddenly, quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा
• Form: Avyaya

• काश्याः: of Kāśī
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kuru lineage (Kurunandana)
• Ascetics (tapodhanāḥ)
• Kāśī
• Daughter of the king of Kāśī (Kāśirāja-kanyā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid crisis and agitation, dharmic conduct includes compassionate care: the wise and the virtuous respond to another’s distress with calming presence, auspicious blessings, and restorative acts rather than harshness or indifference.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that, seeing him shaken, everyone present—especially the ascetics and the Kāśī king’s daughter—rushes to him and tries to soothe him through physical comfort, cooling water, and victory-blessings meant to restore steadiness and hope.