Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तं शिखण्डी च भीमश्न धष्टद्युम्नश्न पार्षत: । नकुल: सहदेवश्न द्रौपदेयाश्व॒ सात्यकि:

Transliteration

taṁ śikhaṇḍī ca bhīmaś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca draupadeyāś ca sātyakiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Autour de lui se rassemblèrent Śikhaṇḍin, Bhīma et Dhṛṣṭadyumna, fils de Pārṣata (Drupada) ; ainsi que Nakula et Sahadeva ; et les fils de Draupadī, avec Sātyaki.

Word by Word

तम्him

शिखण्डीShikhaṇḍī

चand

भीमसेनःBhīmasena (Bhīma)

धृष्टद्युम्नःDhṛṣṭadyumna

पार्षतःthe Pārṣata (son of Pṛṣata; epithet of Dhṛṣṭadyumna)

नकुलःNakula

सहदेवःSahadeva

द्रौपदेयाःthe sons of Draupadī

चand

सात्यकिःSātyaki

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śikhaṇḍin

Bhīma

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Drupada (Pārṣata)

Nakula

Sahadeva

Draupadeyas (sons of Draupadī)

Sātyaki

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the midst of war, righteous purpose is sustained not only by individual valor but by coordinated support and loyalty among allies. The verse highlights disciplined unity—warriors standing together to protect one another while pursuing their chosen dharmic objective.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya enumerates key Pāṇḍava-aligned fighters—Śikhaṇḍin, Bhīma, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Nakula, Sahadeva, the Draupadeyas, and Sātyaki—indicating that they are positioned together around a central figure (“him”), forming a concentrated group in the ongoing battle.