Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अभीषाहा: शूरसेना: शिवयो5थ वसातय: । संग्रामे नाजहुर्भीष्मं वध्यमाना: शितै: शरै:,सौवीर, कितव, प्राच्य, प्रतीच्य, उदीच्य, मालव, अभीषाह, शूरसेन, शिबि और वसाति देशके योद्धा शत्रुओंके तीखे बाणोंसे पीड़ित होनेपर भी संग्रामभूमिमें भीष्मको छोड़कर नहीं भागे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ | saṅgrāme nājahur bhīṣmaṃ vadhyamānāḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: The warriors of the Abhīṣāhas, the Śūrasenas, the Śibis, and the Vasātis—though being struck down by sharp arrows—did not abandon Bhīṣma on the battlefield. Their steadfastness reflects the Kaurava host’s loyalty to its commander and the martial ethic of standing firm under suffering rather than breaking ranks in fear.

Word by Word

• अभीषाहाः: the Abhishahas (people/warriors of Abhishaha)
• अभीषाहाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीषाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शूरसेनाः: the Shurasenas
• शूरसेनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शिबयः: the Shibis
• शिबयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वसातयः: the Vasatis (people/warriors of Vasati)
• वसातयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अजहुः: they abandoned/left
• Type: Verb
• Root: हā (धातु: हा/जहाति)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वध्यमानाः: being struck/being slain (i.e., while being attacked)
• वध्यमानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्यमान (कृदन्त; √वध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Present passive participle

• शितैः: with sharp
• शितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Abhīṣāhas
• Śūrasenas
• Śibis
• Vasātis
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and loyalty in the face of danger: even when wounded by sharp arrows, warriors uphold their duty to stand by their commander. It reflects the martial ethic (kṣatriya-dharma) of not deserting one’s post out of fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that several allied peoples fighting for the Kauravas—Abhīṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis, and Vasātis—remain in the fight and do not flee or leave Bhīṣma, despite being heavily attacked by the enemy’s arrows.