Shloka 49

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

Devanagari script

सत्त्ववन्तो 5भिधावेयु: कुर्वन्तो भैरवान्‌ रवान्‌,इतनी बात सुनते ही धैर्यवान्‌ और शक्तिशाली वीर भयंकर सिंहनाद करते हुए शत्रुओंपर टूट पड़ें

Transliteration

sattvavanto ’bhidhāveyuḥ kurvanto bhairavān ravān

Translation

Mendengar seruan itu, para kesatria yang teguh dan perkasa akan menerjang maju, mengumandangkan pekik perang yang menggetarkan, lalu menghantam musuh.

Word by Word

• सत्त्ववन्तः: possessed of strength/valor
• सत्त्ववन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्ववत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभिधावेयुः: would run towards / would charge
• अभिधावेयुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कुर्वन्तः: doing / making
• कुर्वन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भैरवान्: terrible, fearsome
• भैरवान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रवान्: roars, cries, sounds
• रवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• warriors (vīrāḥ, implied)
• enemies (śatravaḥ, implied)
• battle-cries/roars (ravāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast courage: when duty calls and a command or signal is given, the brave act decisively, expressing fearlessness and resolve rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a battlefield reaction: upon hearing a prompt (implied by context), courageous warriors surge forward, shouting fierce cries and attacking the opposing side.