Shloka 27

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

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

Devanagari script

तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम चित्ररूपं विशाम्पते

Transliteration

tatrādbhutam apaśyāma citrarūpaṁ viśāmpate

Translation

There, O lord of the people, we beheld a wondrous sight—of manifold and variegated form—astonishing to the mind amid the unfolding events.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: Avyaya (locative adverb: 'there')

• अद्भुतम्: a wondrous (thing)
• अद्भुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• अपश्याम: I saw
• अपश्याम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 1st person, singular, Parasmaipada

• चित्ररूपम्: of marvelous/variegated form
• चित्ररूपम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्ररूप
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people (king)
• विशाम्पते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the experience of awe before an extraordinary, many-formed phenomenon, reminding the listener (the king) that events in war can reveal forces beyond ordinary expectation and invite humility and reflection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, describes that at that moment and place they witnessed something astonishing and multi-formed, setting a tone of marvel and portent within the battlefield narration.