Shloka 22

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

अभिद्रवत मा भैष्ट भीष्मो हि प्राप्स्यते न व: । अर्जुनं समरे योद्धुं नोत्सहेतापि वासव:

Transliteration

abhidravata mā bhaiṣṭa bhīṣmo hi prāpsyate na vaḥ | arjunaṃ samare yoddhuṃ notsahetāpi vāsavaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Charge forward—do not be afraid. Bhīṣma will not be able to reach you. Even Vāsava (Indra) would not dare to fight Arjuna in battle.”

Word by Word

• अभिद्रवत: run/charge towards!
• अभिद्रवत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, plural, परस्मैपद

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा
• Form: prohibitive particle (with imperative/optative)

• भैष्ट: fear!
• भैष्ट: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, plural, आत्मनेपद

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि
• Form: emphasis/causal particle

• प्राप्स्यते: will be attained/obtained (will be met with)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), 3, singular, आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: negation

• वः: to you (all)
• वः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, dative, plural

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: tumun (infinitive), —

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: negation

• उत्सहेत: would dare/be able
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्सह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: even/also

• वासवः: Vasava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Arjuna
• Vāsava (Indra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Fearlessness and resolve in righteous combat are reinforced through heroic comparison: Arjuna’s prowess is presented as so formidable that even Indra would hesitate, urging warriors to act without panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a rallying exhortation on the battlefield: the hearers are told to advance confidently, assured that Bhīṣma will not be able to reach or overpower them, while Arjuna is praised as an unmatched warrior.