Shloka 4

भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय

Devanagari script

की व हा 0 कहर ४ हक! 0 ८ 0प॥॥ष/&४४७४ 4005 द्रोणो भीष्म: कृप: शल्य: सौमदत्तिश्न संयुगे न पार्थान्‌ प्रतिबाधन्ते न जाने तच्च कारणम्‌,“मित्रो! द्रोणाचार्य, भीष्म, कृपाचार्य, शल्य तथा भूरिश्रवा--ये लोग युद्धमें कुन्तीके पुत्रोंकोी कभी कोई बाधा नहीं पहुँचाते हैं। इसका क्या कारण है, यह मैं नहीं जानता

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | droṇo bhīṣmaḥ kṛpaḥ śalyaḥ saumadattiś ca saṃyuge | na pārthān pratibādhante na jāne tac ca kāraṇam ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: “In this battle, Drona, Bhishma, Kripa, Shalya, and Somadatta’s son do not truly obstruct the sons of Pritha (the Pandavas). I do not understand what the reason for that is.”

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sanjaya said', 'droṇaḥ': 'Drona (the preceptor, commander/warrior)', 'bhīṣmaḥ': 'Bhishma (the grandsire of the Kurus)', 'kṛpaḥ': 'Kripa (Kripacharya, royal teacher)', 'śalyaḥ': 'Shalya (king of Madra, warrior)', 'saumadattiḥ': 'son of Somadatta

• i.e., Bhūriśravā', 'saṃyuge': 'in battle, in the conflict', 'na': 'not', 'pārthān': 'the sons of Pritha

• the Pandavas', 'pratibādhante': 'they hinder, obstruct, check, impede', 'na jāne': 'I do not know', 'tat': 'that', 'ca': 'and', 'kāraṇam': 'cause, reason'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Drona
• Bhishma
• Kripa
• Shalya
• Somadatta
• Bhurishrava (Saumadatti)
• Pritha (Kunti)
• Pandavas (Parthas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between outward allegiance and inward restraint: even mighty elders and teachers on the Kaurava side appear unable—or unwilling—to fully check the Pandavas. It points to dharmic complexity in war, where personal bonds, reverence for righteousness, and the weight of destiny can limit one’s aggression despite formal duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports an observation from the battlefield: renowned Kaurava champions—Drona, Bhishma, Kripa, Shalya, and Bhurishrava—are not effectively impeding the Pandavas. He expresses uncertainty about the cause, implying either strategic restraint, moral hesitation, or an unseen force shaping the course of the war.