Shloka 2

Adhyāya 112: Bhīṣma-prati Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ

Arjuna’s Forward Drive Toward Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

के5रक्षन्‌ पाण्डवानीके शिखण्डिनमुदायुधा: । त्वरमाणास्त्वराकाले जिगीषन्तो महारथा:

Transliteration

ke rakṣan pāṇḍavānīke śikhaṇḍinam udāyudhāḥ | tvaramāṇās tvarākāle jigīṣanto mahārathāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Dans l’armée des Pāṇḍava, quels grands guerriers de char, prenant leurs armes, protégèrent Śikhaṇḍin—se hâtant en cet instant d’urgence, avides de victoire et montrant une résolution prompte au cœur du tumulte?»

Word by Word

• के: which (persons)?
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रक्षन्: protecting
• रक्षन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवानीके: in the Pandavas' army
• पाण्डवानीके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव + अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin (Shikhandi)
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उदायुधाः: with weapons raised / armed
• उदायुधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + आयुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्वरमाणाः: hastening
• त्वरमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्वर्
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्वराकाले: at the time of haste
• त्वराकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वरा + काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• जिगीषन्तः: desiring to conquer
• जिगीषन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: शतृ (desiderative present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāṇḍava army (anīka)
• Śikhaṇḍin
• weapons (āyudha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma in practical terms: victory-seeking must be joined with disciplined coordination—protecting a key warrior (Śikhaṇḍin) becomes a collective duty of capable leaders, showing that success in war depends on responsibility, timing, and mutual protection rather than isolated valor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya asks to identify which Pāṇḍava-side mahārathas, armed and moving swiftly in a critical moment, formed the protective screen around Śikhaṇḍin—an important tactical figure in the confrontation with Bhīṣma.