Shloka 11

Devanagari script

भीष्म: सैन्येन महता समन्तात्‌ परिवारित: । ययौ प्रकर्षन्‌ महतीं वाहिनीं सुरराडिव,तदनन्तर बहुत बड़ी सेनाद्वारा सब ओरसे घिरे हुए भीष्म देवराज इन्द्रकी भाँति विशाल वाहिनी साथ लिये आगे-आगे चले

Transliteration

bhīṣmaḥ sainyena mahatā samantāt parivāritaḥ | yayau prakarṣan mahatīṃ vāhinīṃ surarāḍ iva |

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: «Aunque estaba rodeado por todos lados por un inmenso ejército, Bhīṣma avanzó, arrastrando consigo una hueste poderosa—como Indra, rey de los dioses».

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

सैन्येनby/with an army

महतāgreat, large

समन्तात्on all sides, from every direction

परिवारितःsurrounded, encircled

ययौwent, proceeded

प्रकर्षन्drawing/leading forth, advancing (while drawing on)

महतīmgreat, vast

वाहिनीम्army, host

सुरराट्king of the gods (Indra)

इवlike, as

Speaker

(संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Indra (Surarāṭ)

army (sainya/vāhinī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of martial leadership: even when surrounded, a commander should advance with steadiness, maintaining cohesion and inspiring confidence—strength guided by duty (kṣatriya-dharma) rather than panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīṣma moving forward at the head of a huge force. Although encircled by troops on every side, he proceeds powerfully, likened to Indra leading the gods’ host.