Shloka 87

Devanagari script

एवंभूतस्तव पिता शरैविशकलीकृत: । शिताग्रै: फाल्गुनेनाजौ प्राकृशिरा: प्रापतद्‌ रथात्‌

Transliteration

evaṁbhūtas tava pitā śarair viśakalīkṛtaḥ | śitāgraiḥ phālgunenājau prākṛśirāḥ prāpatad rathāt |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Thus was your father—cut and torn by arrows. Struck on the battlefield by Phālguna’s keen-pointed shafts, he fell headlong from his chariot.”

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

भूतःbecome, having become (being in such a state)

तवof you, your

पिताfather

शरैःby arrows

विशकलीकृतःcut into pieces, mangled

शिताग्रैःwith sharp-pointed (ones)

फाल्गुनेनby Phalguna (Arjuna)

अजौin battle

प्राकृशिराःwith head/neck bent forward (headlong)

प्रापतत्fell down

रथात्from the chariot

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'your')

Bhīṣma (as 'your father' in this context)

Phālguna (Arjuna)

ratha (chariot)

śara (arrows)

āja (battlefield)

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 underscores the harsh moral reality of dharma-yuddha: even the most revered elders can be brought down when duty and allegiance collide. It highlights the inevitability of consequences in war and the tragic cost borne by all sides.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma, described as the king’s ‘father’ (forefather/elder), has been grievously pierced and cut by Arjuna’s sharp arrows and falls headlong from his chariot on the battlefield.