Shloka 12

Devanagari script

वासुदेवं च पार्थ च चक्रगाण्डीवधारिणौ । संध्यागताविवार्केन्दू समेष्येते रथोत्तमौ,वसुदेवनन्दन श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं। वे क्रमश: सुदर्शनचक्र और गाण्डीवधनुष धारण करते हैं। वे संध्याकालीन सूर्य और चन्द्रमाकी भाँति परस्पर मिलकर जब युद्धमें पधारेंगे, उस समय मैं उनका सामना करूँगा

Transliteration

vāsudevaṃ ca pārthaṃ ca cakragāṇḍīvadhāriṇau | saṃdhyāgatāv ivārkendū sameṣyete rathottamau ||

Translation

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ವಾಸುದೇವನೂ ಪಾರ್ಥನೂ—ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ರಥಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠರು—ಒಬ್ಬನು ಸುದರ್ಶನಚಕ್ರವನ್ನು, ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬನು ಗಾಂಡೀವವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಸಂಧ್ಯಾಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೂರ್ಯಚಂದ್ರರು ಒಂದಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುವಂತೆ, ಆ ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರಿ ಬಂದಾಗ, ನಾನು ಅವರನ್ನು ಎದುರಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

Word by Word

वासुदेवम्Vasudeva (Krishna)

चand

पार्थम्Partha (Arjuna)

चand

चक्रगाण्डीवधारिणौthe two bearers of the discus and the Gandiva (bow)

सन्ध्यागतौarrived at twilight / at evening-time

इवlike, as

अर्केन्दूthe sun and the moon

समेष्येतेwill come together / will meet

रथोत्तमौthe two best of chariot-warriors

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Sudarśana-cakra

Gāṇḍīva bow

Sun (Arka)

Moon (Indu)

Twilight (Saṃdhyā)

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 highlights kṣatriya resolve and dharma-bound courage: even when confronted by the most formidable, divinely aided opponents, Bhīṣma affirms his duty to stand and face them. It also underscores the extraordinary power that arises when divine guidance (Kṛṣṇa) and human skill (Arjuna) unite.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna as the foremost chariot-warriors, marked by their signature weapons (discus and Gāṇḍīva). Using the image of sun and moon meeting at twilight, he anticipates their joint arrival on the battlefield and declares his intention to confront them.