Shloka 22

Arjuna–Bhīṣma Strategic Engagement and Mutual Arrow-Interdiction (भीष्मार्जुनसमागमः)

Devanagari script

नोपशाम्यति निर्घोषो धनुषां कूजतां तथा । विनिश्चेरु: शरा दीप्ता ज्योततीषीव नभस्तलात्‌,वहाँ टंकार करते हुए धनुषोंके शब्द कभी शान्त नहीं होते थे। आकाशसे नक्षत्रोंके समान उन धनुषोंसे चमकीले बाण प्रकट हो रहे थे

Transliteration

nopashāmyati nirghoṣo dhanuṣāṃ kūjatāṃ tathā | viniśceruḥ śarā dīptā jyotitīṣīva nabhastalāt |

Translation

संजय म्हणाला—टंकार करणाऱ्या धनुष्यांचा तो घोर नाद कधीही शांत होत नव्हता. आकाशमंडलातून तेजस्वी बाण निघत होते, जणू तारेच चमकून प्रकट होत आहेत.

Word by Word

नnot

उपशाम्यतिsubsides, becomes quiet

निर्घोषःroar, loud sound

धनुषाम्of bows

कूजताम्of (the) sounding/twang-ing (ones)

तथाthus, likewise

विनिश्चेरुःcame forth, issued out

शराःarrows

दीप्ताःblazing, shining

ज्योतिषीवlike stars/lights

नभस्तलात्from the surface of the sky

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

bows (dhanuṣ)

arrows (śara)

sky/firmament (nabhas)

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 does not preach a doctrine directly; it heightens awareness of war’s unstoppable force—how martial action, once unleashed, becomes a continuous roar. Ethically, it frames the battlefield as a realm where kṣatriya power and duty manifest with awe-inspiring brilliance, while also hinting at the grave, relentless nature of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battle’s intensity: bows keep twanging without pause, and radiant arrows stream forth in such numbers that they resemble stars appearing across the sky.