Shloka 7

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

प्रत्युद्ययुस्तावका श्व समेतांस्तान्‌ महारथान्‌

Transliteration

pratyudyayus tāvakāḥ śva sametāṁs tān mahārathān

Translation

അപ്പോൾ നിന്റെ പക്ഷത്തിലെ സൈന്യം വേഗത്തിൽ ഒന്നിച്ചുകൂടി, ആ മഹാരഥന്മാരെ നേരിടാൻ പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• प्रत्युद्ययुः: went forth against / advanced to meet
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उद्-या (धातु: या)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), 3, plural

• तावकाः: your men; the Kauravas' (troops)
• तावकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• श्वः: tomorrow
• श्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वस्/श्वः (अव्यय)

• समेतान्: assembled; gathered together
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-इ (धातु: इ) → समेत (कृदन्त)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kauravas (tāvakāḥ)
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective allegiance and kṣatriya-duty can propel armies into action with speed and unity; it implicitly invites reflection on how momentum in conflict can override careful ethical deliberation, making discernment (dharma-vicāra) crucial before violence becomes inevitable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava side quickly assembled and advanced to confront the great chariot-warriors previously mentioned, signaling the immediate mobilization and readiness for battle on the Kurukṣetra field.