Shloka 36

Adhyāya 111 (Book 6): Daśama-dina-saṃgrāma—Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira and the Śikhaṇḍin-Led Advance

Devanagari script

मण्डली भूतमेवास्य नित्यं धनुरदृश्यत । संग्रामे युद्धायमानस्य शक्रचापोपमं महत्‌

Transliteration

maṇḍalī bhūtam evāsya nityaṃ dhanur adṛśyata | saṅgrāme yuddhāyamānasya śakracāpōpamaṃ mahat ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Dans la mêlée, tandis qu’il combattait sans relâche, son arc semblait sans cesse décrire un cercle, vaste et rayonnant comme l’arc-en-ciel d’Indra.

Word by Word

• मण्डली: a circle/round (form)
• मण्डली: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भूतम्: become, having become
• भूतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अदृश्यत: was seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युद्धायमानस्य: of (him) fighting
• युद्धायमानस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युध् (धातु) → युद्धायमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शक्रचापोपमम्: like Indra's bow (rainbow-like)
• शक्रचापोपमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्रचाप-उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra (Śakra)
• Indra’s bow / rainbow (Śakracāpa)
• bow (dhanuḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined concentration and steadfast execution of one’s duty in a righteous role: the warrior’s unwavering focus is portrayed through the continuous, circular motion of the bow, suggesting mastery, control, and sustained effort amid chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant on the battlefield whose bow, in constant motion, appears like a great circle—likened to Indra’s rainbow—emphasizing the speed and continuity of his fighting and the awe it inspires in onlookers.