Shloka 34

Devanagari script

तान्यनीकान्यनीकेषु समसज्जन्त भारत । तावकानां परेषां च दृष्टवा शान्तनवं रणे,भारत! आपके और शत्रुपक्षेके सब सैनिक युद्धमें शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मको देखकर विरोधी सैनिकोंके साथ जमकर युद्ध करने लगे

Transliteration

tāny anīkāny anīkeṣu samasajjanta bhārata | tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā śāntanavaṃ raṇe ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O Bhārata, those battle-formations closed upon one another and became firmly engaged. Seeing Śāntanava (Bhīṣma) on the field, both your warriors and the opposing host pressed into intense combat.”

Word by Word

तानिthose

अनीकानिarmies, divisions

अनीकेषुamong/in the divisions

सम्together, fully (prefix/adverbial)

असज्जन्तthey engaged/attached themselves (in combat)

भारतO Bharata

तावकानाम्of your (people)

परेषाम्of the others/enemies

चand

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

शान्तनवम्the son of Śāntanu (Bhīṣma)

रणेin battle

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Śāntanava (Bhīṣma)

Kaurava army (tāvakāḥ)

Opposing army (pare)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the presence of a formidable leader (Bhīṣma) intensifies collective resolve and engagement in war, underscoring the ethical weight of command: a great warrior’s participation can drive both sides toward uncompromising conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the opposing troop-formations have met and locked into combat; upon seeing Bhīṣma on the battlefield, both the Kaurava forces and their enemies fight with heightened intensity.