Shloka 27

Adhyāya 69: Strategic duels under Bhīṣma’s command

Virāṭa–Bhīṣma; Arjuna–Aśvatthāmā; Bhīma–Duryodhana; Abhimanyu–Lakṣmaṇa

Devanagari script

रामस्य जामदग्न्यस्य मार्कण्डेयस्य धीमत: । व्यासनारदयोश्वापि सकाशाद्‌ भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ] इसके सिवा जमदग्निनन्दन परशुराम, बुद्धिमान्‌ मार्कण्डेय, व्यास तथा नारदसे भी मैंने यह बात सुनी है

Transliteration

rāmasya jāmadagnyasya mārkaṇḍeyasya dhīmataḥ | vyāsa-nāradayoś cāpi sakāśād bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik di antara keturunan Bharata, perkara yang sama ini pun aku dengar dari Rāma Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma), dari Mārkaṇḍeya yang bijaksana, dan juga dari Vyāsa serta Nārada.”

Word by Word

रामस्यof Rama

जामदग्न्यस्यof Jamadagni's descendant (Parashurama)

मार्कण्डेयस्यof Markandeya

धीमतःof the wise one

व्यासof Vyasa

नारदयोःof the two Naradas / of Narada (dual form used with Vyasa in coordination)

अपिalso

सकाशात्from (the presence of), from (someone)

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Rāma Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)

Mārkaṇḍeya

Vyāsa

Nārada

Bharatas (Kuru lineage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma strengthens the credibility of his statement by citing multiple revered authorities—Paraśurāma, Mārkaṇḍeya, Vyāsa, and Nārada—showing that dharmic instruction is validated through trustworthy lineage and concordant sage testimony.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of Bhīṣma’s discourse, he addresses a Kuru listener as “bharatarṣabha” and notes that he has learned the same teaching from several eminent sages, presenting his account as consistent with established tradition.