Shloka 17

Devanagari script

धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजन्‌ पाण्डवश्च युधिष्ठिर: । श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तां वाचं चोदयामासतुर्बलम्‌

Transliteration

dhṛṣṭadyumnas tato rājan pāṇḍavaś ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | śrutvā bhīṣmasya tāṁ vācaṁ codayām āsatur balam ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Alors, ô Roi, Dhṛṣṭadyumna et le Pāṇḍava Yudhiṣṭhira, ayant entendu ces paroles de Bhīṣma, pressèrent leur armée d’avancer : “Héros, en avant ! Combattez, et dans cette bataille remportez la victoire sur Bhīṣma. Vous êtes tous protégés par Arjuna, vainqueur des ennemis, inébranlable dans la vérité de ses vœux.”»

Word by Word

• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Dhrishtadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (son of Pandu)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• भीष्मस्य: of Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ताम्: that (fem.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वाचम्: speech/words
• वाचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चोदयामासतुः: they urged/commanded
• Type: Verb
• Root: चुद्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Dual

• बलम्: the army/force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma
• Arjuna
• Pāṇḍava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights righteous leadership in war: commanders must strengthen morale and direct action while grounding confidence in proven virtue—here, Arjuna’s steadfast truthfulness and vow-keeping become an ethical basis for trust and collective courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Bhīṣma’s words, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Yudhiṣṭhira rally the Pāṇḍava forces to advance and fight, assuring them that Arjuna—renowned for defeating enemies and keeping his vows—stands as their protector in the battle against Bhīṣma.