Shloka 25

Bhīṣma-parva Adhyāya 16 — Saṃjaya’s Boon, Bhīṣma’s Protection, and the Dawn Arraying of Armies

Devanagari script

धृष्टद्युम्नमुखा: सर्वे समुद्विविजिरे मुहुः । धृष्टद्युम्न आदि सूंजयवंशी उन्हें देखकर बारंबार उद्विग्न हो उठते थे। ठीक उसी तरह, जैसे मुँह बाये हुए विशाल सिंहको देखकर क्षुद्र मृग भयसे व्याकुल हो उठते हैं || २४ ई ।। एकादशैता: श्रीजुष्टा वाहिन्यस्तव पार्थिव

Transliteration

dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhāḥ sarve samudvivijire muhuḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: All those led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna repeatedly grew agitated and alarmed. Seeing him, they were thrown into fear again and again—like small deer that become frantic at the sight of a huge lion with gaping jaws. The verse underscores how, in war, morale and perception of an opponent’s prowess can shake even organized forces, turning courage into recurring anxiety.

Word by Word

• धृष्टद्युम्नमुखाः: having Dhr̥ṣṭadyumna at the head / led by Dhr̥ṣṭadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नमुखाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्नमुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समुद्विविजिरे: became greatly agitated / were repeatedly alarmed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√विज् (विजते)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada, सम्,उद्

• मुहुः: again and again / repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुस्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical reality that in warfare, inner steadiness is as decisive as weapons: repeated fear and agitation can undermine even a large force, while a formidable leader’s presence can dominate the opponent’s mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the troops facing Dhṛṣṭadyumna are repeatedly unsettled on seeing him, using a vivid simile—small deer panicking before a great lion—to convey the imbalance of confidence on the battlefield.