Shloka 45

Devanagari script

ते हन्यमाना: पार्थन भीष्म शान्तनवं ययु: । अगाधे मज्जमानानां भीष्म: पोतो5भवत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

te hanyamānāḥ pārthān bhīṣmaśāntanavaṁ yayuḥ | agādhe majjamānānāṁ bhīṣmaḥ poto 'bhavat tadā ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Mientras eran abatidos, los guerreros se volvieron hacia Bhīṣma, hijo de Śāntanu. Para quienes se hundían en las insondables profundidades de la batalla, Bhīṣma se convirtió entonces en una barca de paso: refugio inmediato y medio para cruzar el peligro.

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हन्यमानाः: being slain / being struck
• हन्यमानाः: Karta
• Type: Participle
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Passive, Present (वर्तमान), वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्)

• पार्थान्: the sons of Pṛthā (the Pāṇḍavas)
• पार्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भीष्म: O Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शान्तनवम्: the son of Śantanu (Bhīṣma)
• Type: Noun (patronymic)
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ययुः: went / rushed
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अगाधे: in the unfathomable (deep water)
• अगाधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: अगाध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मज्जमानानाम्: of those sinking / drowning
• Type: Participle
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural, Active, Present (वर्तमान), वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शानच्)

• भीष्मः: Bhīṣma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पोतः: a boat / ferry
• पोतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पोत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became / was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Śāntanu
• Pārthāḥ (Pāṇḍavas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a moral and strategic crisis, people instinctively seek a steady protector; the verse uses the image of a ferry-boat to show how a leader’s firmness and reputation can become a lifeline for those overwhelmed by danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the combat intensifies and warriors are being struck, they rally toward Bhīṣma. He functions as their main support on the battlefield, compared to a boat rescuing those who are drowning in deep waters.