Shloka 22

Devanagari script

ततः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा रथेन रथिनां वर: । शयानं भरतमश्रेष्ठं सर्वशस्त्रभूृतां वरम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ pradakṣiṇaṁ kṛtvā rathena rathināṁ varaḥ | śayānaṁ bharataśreṣṭhaṁ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṁ varam avidhyat pṛthivīṁ pārthaḥ pārśve bhīṣmasya dakṣiṇe ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Alors Pārtha Arjuna, le meilleur des guerriers de char, fit avancer son char en une circumambulation respectueuse et, près du flanc droit de Bhīṣma, frappa la terre d’une flèche. Ainsi, tout en honorant l’aîné abattu sans se soustraire aux exigences de la guerre, Arjuna fit jaillir de l’eau pour Bhīṣma — geste où la prouesse martiale s’unit au devoir filial et à la compassion envers un adversaire vénérable.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation (keeping right side)
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• रथेन: with/by the chariot
• रथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रथिनाम्: of chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best, the foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शयानम्: lying (down)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) / शय (प्रातिपदिक from √शी)
• Form: शानच् (present participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भरतम्: Bhārata (scion of Bharata) i.e., Bhīṣma
• भरतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: the best, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)

• शस्त्र: weapons
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter

• भृताम्: of those who bear/carry
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरम्: the best
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अविध्यत्: pierced, struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्/विध् (धातु) (वि + √व्यध्/√विध्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पृथिवीम्: the earth/ground
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पार्थः: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्श्वे: at/on the side
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भीष्मस्य: of Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दक्षिणे: on the right (side)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Bhīṣma
• chariot (ratha)
• arrow (implicit in avidhyat; context of bāṇa)
• earth (pṛthivī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid righteous warfare, dharma includes compassion and reverence: Arjuna honors Bhīṣma as an elder and exemplary warrior, using his skill not to harm but to relieve suffering—showing that duty and humanity are not mutually exclusive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma lies on the bed of arrows. Arjuna circles him respectfully with the chariot and then shoots the ground near Bhīṣma’s right side so that water springs forth, enabling Bhīṣma to drink.