Shloka 12

भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103

Devanagari script

प्रहरन्‌ सर्वशत्रुभ्य: पाण्डवानां महारथ: । अदृश्यत महेष्वास: सवज्र इव वासव:,सम्पूर्ण शत्रुओंपर प्रहार करता हुआ पाण्डव-महारथी महाधनुर्धर अभिमन्यु वज्रधारी इन्द्रके समान दृष्टिगोचर हो रहा था

Transliteration

praharan sarvaśatrubhyaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathaḥ | adṛśyata maheṣvāsaḥ savajra iva vāsavaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Striking at all the enemies, the great chariot-warrior of the Pāṇḍavas—the mighty archer—appeared like Vāsava (Indra) himself bearing the thunderbolt. The verse highlights Abhimanyu’s fearless, duty-driven prowess in battle, presenting martial excellence as an expression of kṣatriya-dharma amid the moral gravity of war.

Word by Word

• प्रहरन्: striking, attacking
• प्रहरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्व-शत्रुभ्यः: to/against all enemies
• सर्व-शत्रुभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-शत्रु
• Form: पुं, चतुर्थी, बहुवचन

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• महा-रथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महा-रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-रथ
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अदृश्यत: was seen, appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, एकवचन

• महा-इष्वासः: the great archer
• महा-इष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-इष्वास
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स-वज्रः: with the thunderbolt (vajra) in hand
• स-वज्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-वज्र
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• वासवः: Vasava (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• Vāsava (Indra)
• vajra (thunderbolt weapon)
• Abhimanyu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma: steadfast courage and disciplined action in battle, framed not as mere aggression but as duty performed with resolve, even amid the ethical weight of warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a Pāṇḍava champion (understood here as Abhimanyu) striking the enemy ranks so powerfully that he appears like Indra wielding the vajra—an image of overwhelming martial brilliance on the battlefield.