Shloka 72

Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

तान्यनीकान्यथालोक्य राक्षसेन्द्र: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

tāny anīkāny athālokya rākṣasendraḥ pratāpavān

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing those battle-formations, the mighty lord of the Rākṣasas—renowned for his prowess—took in the opposing array, poised for the violent duties of war.

Word by Word

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अनीकानि: armies, troops
• अनीकानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• आलोक्य: having seen, after observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लोक्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• राक्षसेन्द्रः: the lord of the Rakshasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valiant
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• rākṣasendra (lord of the Rākṣasas)
• anīkāni (battle-formations)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of warfare: a leader must first clearly perceive the situation—enemy formations and readiness—before acting. It underscores responsibility and strategic awareness as part of martial duty, rather than impulsive violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that a powerful Rākṣasa leader, upon seeing the assembled battle-formations, surveys them—marking a moment of appraisal and preparation just before ensuing action in the war setting.