Shloka 8

कुरुक्षेत्रे सेनानिवेशवृत्तान्तः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Questions Saṃjaya on the Deployed Armies

Devanagari script

पितामहेन वो युद्ध पूर्वमेव भविष्यति । तस्मात्‌ सप्तसु सेनासु प्रणेतृन्‌ मम पश्यत,“तुम सब लोग सब ओर घूम-फिरकर अपनी सेनाओंका निरीक्षण करो और कवच आदिसे सुसज्जित होकर खड़े हो जाओ। सबसे पहले पितामह भीष्मसे तुम्हारा युद्ध होगा। इसलिये अपनी सात अक्षौहिणी सेनाओंके सेनापतियोंकी देखभाल कर लो”

Transliteration

pitāmahena vo yuddha pūrvam eva bhaviṣyati | tasmāt saptasu senāsu praṇetṝn mama paśyata |

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「汝らの戦はまず大祖父（ビーシュマ）とのものとなる。ゆえに七軍の将たちに目を配れ—四方の兵を点検し、鎧兜ほか万端を整えて、備えよ。」

Word by Word

पितामहेनby/with the grandsire (Bhishma)

वःof you (your)

युद्धम्battle/war

पूर्वम्before/first

एवindeed/just

भविष्यतिwill be/will happen

तस्मात्therefore/from that

सप्तसुin/among seven

सेनासुin the armies

प्रणेतॄन्leaders/commanders

ममmy

पश्यतsee/look after/inspect

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

Seven armies (saptāḥ senāḥ / seven akṣauhiṇīs implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses disciplined readiness and responsible command: before entering a righteous but tragic war, leaders must inspect their forces, ensure proper equipment, and attend to competent commanders—because the first engagement will be against the formidable Bhīṣma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates instructions given to warriors to move about and review their troops, stand armed and armored, and especially to secure the leadership of their seven divisions, since the opening clash is expected to be with the grandsire Bhīṣma.