Shloka 22

भीष्मभीमसमागमः — Bhīṣma–Bhīma Strategic Engagement and Counsel to the King

Devanagari script

सर्वत: शुशुभे राजन्‌ रणे5रीणां दुरासद: । मण्डलं तु समालोक्य व्यूहं परमदुर्जयम्‌

Transliteration

sarvataḥ śuśubhe rājan raṇe 'rīṇāṃ durāsadaḥ | maṇḍalaṃ tu samālokya vyūhaṃ paramadurjayam ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。「王よ、戦場において敵の陣は四方に輝き、近づくことすらきわめて困難であった。その円環の陣—最も攻略し難い戦列—を見れば、軍紀の壮麗さと、これに挑む者へ迫る深い危難とが同時に示されていた。」

Word by Word

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतस्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• शुशुभे: shone, was splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, vocative singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, locative singular

• अरीणाम्: of the enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, genitive plural

• दुरासदः: hard to assail/approach
• दुरासदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• मण्डलम्: circle, ring-formation
• मण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, accusative singular

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable particle)

• समालोक्य: having looked at, observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आलोक्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-न्त), indeclinable

• व्यूहम्: battle-array, formation
• व्यूहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

• परमदुर्जयम्: most difficult to conquer
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमदुर्जय
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• enemies/foes (arīṇām)
• maṇḍala (circular formation)
• vyūha (battle formation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how disciplined military organization (vyūha) can become a formidable moral and practical challenge in war: brilliance and order may mask danger, reminding the listener that power and strategy intensify the stakes and consequences of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the enemy host in the battlefield appears splendid and difficult to assail, specifically noting a circular (maṇḍala) battle formation that is extremely hard to defeat.