Shloka 37

Adhyāya 107 — बहुयुद्धप्रकरणम्

Multiple Defensive Engagements to Protect Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

ततः सरथनागाश्चा: पाण्डवा: पाण्डुपूर्वज । परिवत्रू रणे भीष्मं माधवत्राणकारणात्‌,पाण्डुके बड़े भाई महाराज धृतराष्ट्र! उस समय मधुवंशी सात्यकिको बचानेके लिये पाण्डवोंने रथ, घोड़े और हाथियोंकी सेनाके साथ आकर युद्धभूमिमें भीष्मको चारों ओरसे घेर लिया

Transliteration

tataḥ sa-ratha-nāgāś ca pāṇḍavāḥ pāṇḍu-pūrvaja | parivavru raṇe bhīṣmaṃ mādhava-trāṇa-kāraṇāt ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ, പാണ്ഡുവിന്റെ അഗ്രജാ! മാധവന്റെ സഹായി (സാത്യകി)യെ രക്ഷിക്കുവാൻ പാണ്ഡവർ രഥ-അശ്വ-ഗജസേനകളോടെ യുദ്ധഭൂമിയിൽ ഭീഷ്മനെ ചുറ്റുമുറ്റി.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

स-रथ-नागाःthose with chariots and elephants (i.e., chariots and elephants)

चand

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

पाण्डु-पूर्वजO elder brother of Pandu (i.e., Dhritarashtra)

परिवव्रुःsurrounded, encompassed

रणेin battle

भीष्मम्Bhishma

माधव-त्राण-कारणात्because of (as) the cause of Madhava's protection (i.e., to protect Madhava/Satyaki)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍavas

Pāṇḍu

Bhīṣma

Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)

Sātyaki

chariots

horses

war-elephants

battlefield

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 a dharmic motive within warfare: the Pāṇḍavas concentrate their forces not merely to strike a famed elder (Bhīṣma), but to protect a threatened ally (Sātyaki), presenting protection and loyalty as legitimate drivers of martial action.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the battlefield, the Pāṇḍavas arrive with a combined force of chariots, cavalry, and elephants and surround Bhīṣma from all sides, doing so to rescue/protect Sātyaki, who is associated with Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa).