Shloka 40

ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins

Devanagari script

निष्क्रम्य ते नरव्याप्रा दंशिताश्रित्रयोधिन: । प्रतर्दन॑ समाजग्मु: शरवर्षैरुदायुधा:

Transliteration

niṣkramya te naravyāprā daṃśitāśritrayodhinaḥ | pratardanaṃ samājagmuḥ śaravarṣair udāyudhāḥ ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「出陣した彼らは—戦に忙しく、堅固な鎧をまとい、戦車戦に熟達した者たち—プラタルダナへと迫った。武器を掲げ、矢の雨を注いで攻め立てた。」

Word by Word

• निष्क्रम्य: having gone out
• निष्क्रम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), कर्तरि, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (absolutive)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नरव्याप्राः: man-tigers (heroic men)
• नरव्याप्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरव्याप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दंशिताः: armoured, mail-clad
• दंशिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंशित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from दंश्/दंशय्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आश्रित्रयोधिनः: fighters relying on (their) armour/shelter
• आश्रित्रयोधिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रित्रयोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतर्दनम्: Pratardana
• प्रतर्दनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समाजग्मुः: came together/advanced (towards)
• समाजग्मुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), Third, Plural, परस्मैपद

• शरवर्षैः: with showers of arrows
• शरवर्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• उदायुधाः: with weapons raised
• उदायुधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदायुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Pratardana
• chariot-warriors
• arrows (śara)
• weapons (āyudha)
• chariots (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of readiness and disciplined engagement in battle: warriors properly equipped and organized advance decisively, illustrating how duty in warfare emphasizes preparedness, coordinated action, and steadfast courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of armoured chariot-fighters sally out and converge upon Pratardana, attacking him with raised weapons and a heavy volley of arrows.