Shloka 21

Devanagari script

भीष्म: प्रस्थाप्य राजानं गोधनं तदनन्तरम्‌ । सेनामुख्यान्‌ व्यवस्थाप्य व्यूहितुं सम्प्रचक्रमे,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! महात्मा भीष्मकी कही हुई यह बात सबको पसंद आ गयी। फिर कौरवोंके राजा दुर्योधनने वैसा ही किया। पहले राजा दुर्योधनको और उसके बाद गोधनको भेजकर सेनापतियोंको व्यवस्थित करके भीष्मजीने सेनाका व्यूह बनानेकी तैयारी की

Transliteration

bhīṣmaḥ prasthāpya rājānaṃ godhanaṃ tadanantaram | senāmukhyān vyavasthāpya vyūhituṃ sampracakrame ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「王を先に遣わし、続いてただちに牛の財を送ったのち、ビーシュマは主だった将たちを正しく整え、軍を戦陣に組む準備に取りかかった。」

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

प्रस्थाप्यhaving sent forth / having dispatched

राजानम्the king

गोधनम्cattle/wealth of cows

तत्that

अनन्तरम्immediately after / thereafter

सेनामुख्यान्the chiefs/leaders of the army

व्यवस्थाप्यhaving arranged / having stationed

व्यूहितुम्to form an array / to arrange (the troops) in formation

सम्प्रचक्रमेset about / began / proceeded

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīṣma

Duryodhana

Kaurava army

godhana (cattle-wealth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethic of disciplined leadership: effective action in crisis requires orderly delegation, proper placement of commanders, and strategic planning. Even when the broader enterprise is contentious, the text notes the importance of competence and responsibility in command.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma dispatches the king first and then the cattle, organizes the principal commanders, and begins arranging the Kaurava forces into a battle formation (vyūha) in preparation for the coming confrontation.