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Shloka 74

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः

Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma

भवन्तं समरे क्रुद्धं दण्डहस्तमिवान्तकम्‌ । युधिष्ठिरने कहा--पितामह! हमलोग युद्धमें दण्डधारी यमराजकी भाँति क्रोधमें भरे हुए आपको जिस प्रकार जीत सकें, वैसा उपाय हमें आप ही बताइये ।।

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

bhavantaṃ samare kruddhaṃ daṇḍahastam ivāntakam |

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—pitāmaha! vayam yuddhe daṇḍadhārī yamarāja iva krodhena pūrṇaṃ bhavantaṃ yathā jayet, tādṛśam upāyaṃ asmān bhavān eva brūyāt ||

śakyo vajradharo jetuṃ varuṇo ’tha yamas tathā ||

ユディシュティラは言った。「祖父(ピターマハ)よ!戦場においてあなたは、杖を手にした死そのもののように、怒りに燃え盛っておられる。どうすれば戦においてあなたを打ち破れるのか、その手立てをあなた自身が我らにお示しください。金剛杵を執るインドラも、またヴァルナもヤマも、征服され得るというのなら——あなたをもいかにして征服し得るのか、告げてください。」

भवन्तम्you (honorific), (as) the one to be conquered/approached
भवन्तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootभवत्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
समरेin battle
समरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसमर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
क्रुद्धम्angry, enraged
क्रुद्धम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootक्रुध्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दण्डहस्तम्having a staff in hand
दण्डहस्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदण्डहस्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अन्तकम्Death (Yama), the ender
अन्तकम्:
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
शक्यःpossible, able (to be done)
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वज्रधरःthe thunderbolt-bearer (Indra)
वज्रधरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवज्रधर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
जेतुम्to conquer
जेतुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
FormInfinitive, Parasmaipada
वरुणःVaruṇa
वरुणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवरुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अथand then / also
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
यमःYama
यमः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाlikewise, so too
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
B
Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
A
Antaka (Death)
Y
Yama
V
Vajradhara (Indra)
V
Varuṇa
D
Daṇḍa (staff)

Educational Q&A

Even in righteous war, victory should not be pursued through blind hatred; Yudhiṣṭhira’s appeal shows ethical restraint and reverence—he seeks a lawful, disclosed means rather than treachery, acknowledging Bhīṣma’s near-invincibility and the moral weight of fighting an elder.

On the battlefield, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and admits that Bhīṣma appears like Death itself in wrath. He asks Bhīṣma to reveal the method by which the Pāṇḍavas can defeat him, invoking even great gods (Indra, Varuṇa, Yama) as conquerable—implying that Bhīṣma too has a vulnerable point or condition.