Shloka 12

Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशने: । सर्वसैन्यानि भीतानि व्यवालीयन्त भारत,भारत! बिजलीकी गड़गड़ाहटके समान गाण्डीवका गम्भीर घोष सुनकर हमारे समस्त सैनिक भयभीत हो लुकने-छिपने लगे

Transliteration

śrutvā gāṇḍīva-nirghoṣaṁ visphūrjitam ivāśaneḥ | sarva-sainyāni bhītāni vyavālīyanta bhārata bhārata ||

Translation

Mendengar gemuruh dalam busur Gāṇḍīva—dalam dan menggelegar laksana petir menyambar—wahai Bhārata, seluruh bala tentara kami diliputi ketakutan, mundur, dan tercerai-berai.

Word by Word

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

गाण्डीव-निर्घोषम्the roar/sound of (the bow) Gāṇḍīva

विस्फूर्जितम्thundered/roared

इवlike, as if

अशनेःof the thunderbolt / lightning

सर्व-सैन्यानिall the armies/troops

भीतानिfrightened

व्यवालीयन्तwithdrew / recoiled / shrank back

भारतO Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Gāṇḍīva

Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Kaurava army (implied by 'our troops')

Arjuna (implied as wielder of Gāṇḍīva)

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?

The verse highlights that in righteous warfare and leadership, inner strength and reputation can decisively affect outcomes: fear and loss of cohesion can defeat an army even before physical combat, showing the ethical importance of courage, discipline, and steadiness of mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava forces, upon hearing the thunderous sound of Arjuna’s bow Gāṇḍīva, became frightened and began to recoil and scatter, indicating a sudden collapse of morale in the face of Arjuna’s presence.