Shloka 9

Ghaṭotkaca Slays Alāyudha (Night Battle and Māyā Countermeasures) / घटोत्कचेन अलायुधवधः

Devanagari script

य॑ पुंसां त्रिषु लोकेषु सर्वशूरममंस्महि । तस्मिन्‌ निपतिते शूरे कि शेषं पर्युपास्महे,हमलोग जिन्हें तीनों लोकोंके पुरुषोंमें सबसे अधिक शूरवीर मानते थे, उन शौर्यसम्पन्न भीष्मके मारे जानेपर हम दूसरोंका क्या भरोसा करें?

Transliteration

yaṁ puṁsāṁ triṣu lokeṣu sarvaśūram amaṁsmahi | tasmin nipatite śūre kiṁ śeṣaṁ paryupāsmahe ||

Translation

Dia yang kami anggap sebagai pahlawan terbesar di antara semua manusia di tiga dunia—ketika sang kesatria perkasa itu telah gugur, pada siapa lagi kami dapat menaruh kepercayaan di antara yang tersisa?

Word by Word

येwhom

पुंसाम्of men

त्रिषुin three

लोकेषुworlds

सर्वशूरम्the most heroic (all-hero)

अमंस्महिwe thought/considered

तस्मिन्when/while he (in him/that)

निपतितेfallen (when he had fallen)

शूरेin the hero / when the hero

किम्what

शेषम्the remainder / what is left

परिaround; (as prefix) fully

उपास्महेshall we rely on / attend to / resort to

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of worldly reliance: even the greatest warrior can fall, so confidence based solely on power and reputation is unstable. Ethically, it underscores how attachment to might (bala) collapses in the face of mortality and fate, pushing one to reconsider what is truly dependable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports the Kauravas’ shock and loss of confidence after Bhishma—whom they regarded as the supreme hero—has been brought down. His fall becomes a turning point that shakes morale and makes the remaining fighters seem uncertain supports.