Shloka 59

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः

Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma

Devanagari script

तानुवाच महाबाहुर्भीष्म: कुरुपितामह: । स्वागतं तव वार्ष्णेय स्वागतं ते धनंजय

Transliteration

tān uvāca mahābāhur bhīṣmaḥ kuru-pitāmahaḥ | svāgataṁ tava vārṣṇeya svāgataṁ te dhanañjaya ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the mighty-armed Bhīṣma, grandsire of the Kurus, addressed them: “Welcome to you, O Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa); welcome to you, O Dhanañjaya (Arjuna).” In the midst of impending battle, the elder’s words uphold the etiquette of honor and recognition even toward opponents, reflecting the Kṣatriya code of respectful address before conflict.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed one
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुरुपितामहः: the grandsire of the Kurus
• कुरुपितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun (epithet)
• Root: कुरुपितामह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वागतम्: welcome
• स्वागतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (indeclinable-like usage as greeting)
• Root: स्वागत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• वार्ष्णेय: O descendant of Vrishni (Krishna)
• वार्ष्णेय: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (vocative epithet)
• Root: वार्ष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• स्वागतम्: welcome
• स्वागतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (indeclinable-like usage as greeting)
• Root: स्वागत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• धनंजय: O Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजय: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (proper name, vocative)
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• भीष्म (Bhīṣma)
• कुरु (Kuru lineage)
• वार्ष्णेय (Vārṣṇeya—Kṛṣṇa)
• धनंजय (Dhanañjaya—Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even at the threshold of war, dharma expresses itself through restraint and proper conduct: Bhīṣma’s formal welcome honors worthy persons and maintains the Kṣatriya ideal of respectful address, showing that ethical decorum need not vanish in conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma, the Kuru grandsire, speaks directly to Kṛṣṇa (as Vārṣṇeya) and Arjuna (as Dhanañjaya), greeting them with ‘svāgataṁ’—a ceremonious welcome—during the war setting of Bhīṣma Parva.