Shloka 22

भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array

Devanagari script

शल्यो भूरिश्रवाश्वैव विकर्णश्र महारथ: । एते सप्त महेष्वासा द्रोणपुत्रपुरोगमा:

Transliteration

śalyo bhūriśravāś caiva vikarṇaś ca mahārathaḥ | ete sapta maheṣvāsā droṇaputra-purogamāḥ ||

Translation

ಶಲ್ಯ, ಭೂರಿಶ್ರವ ಮತ್ತು ಮಹಾರಥಿ ವಿಕರ್ಣನೂ—ಈ ಏಳು ಮಹಾಧನುರ್ಧರರು ದ್ರೋಣಪುತ್ರ (ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥಾಮ)ನನ್ನು ಮುಂಚೂಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಟ್ಟು ಅಗ್ರಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದರು.

Word by Word

• शल्यः: Shalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूरिश्रवाः: Bhurishravas
• भूरिश्रवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूरिश्रवस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• विकर्णः: Vikarna
• विकर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एते: these
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सप्त: seven
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्त

• महेष्वासाः: great bowmen
• महेष्वासाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्रोणपुत्रपुरोगमाः: having Drona's son (Ashvatthaman) in front/led by Drona's son
• द्रोणपुत्रपुरोगमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रोणपुत्रपुरोगम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Bhūriśravā
• Vikarṇa
• Droṇaputra (Aśvatthāmā)
• Droṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that in dharmic conflict, the presence of eminent warriors intensifies both the strategic stakes and the ethical burden: leadership and prowess can magnify the consequences of choices made in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is listing prominent Kaurava-side champions—Śalya, Bhūriśravā, Vikarṇa, and others—grouped as ‘seven great archers’ with Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā) at their head, as part of the battlefield description and order of forces.