Shloka 51

भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal

Devanagari script

त्वं च कामगमस्तात मायास्त्रे च विशारद: । कृतवैरश्न पार्थेन तस्मादेनं रणे जहि

Transliteration

tvaṃ ca kāmagamas tāta māyāstre ca viśāradaḥ | kṛtavairaś ca pārthena tasmād enaṃ raṇe jahi ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Mon cher, tu peux te mouvoir à ton gré et tu es versé dans l’usage des armes d’illusion. Puisque le fils de Pṛthā, Bhīma, s’est aussi fait ton ennemi, frappe donc cet Irāvān sur le champ de bataille.»

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

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

• कामगमः: moving at will
• कामगमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामगम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: dear one / son (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मायास्त्रे: in/with illusory weapons
• मायास्त्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मायास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• विशारदः: skilled, expert
• विशारदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतवैरः: having made enmity
• कृतवैरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतवैर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थेन: by/with the son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात्

• एनम्: this one / him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• जहि: kill (you must slay)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (son of Pṛthā—here Bhīma)
• Irāvān
• māyā-astra (illusory weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse illustrates how, in the logic of war, capability (skill with māyā-weapons and freedom of movement) and prior enmity are invoked to justify lethal action. It invites reflection on the tension between dharma (restraint, proportionality) and the pull of vengeance and tactical advantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a battlefield exhortation: the addressed warrior is urged to use his special mobility and expertise in deceptive/illusory weaponry to kill Irāvān, with the added motive that Bhīma (a Pāṇḍava) has become his enemy, making Irāvān a target to be eliminated in combat.