Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तथा भीष्मकृपद्रोणशल्यदुर्योधनादिभि: । तवापि च बभौ सेना ग्रहैद्यौरिव संवृता,इसी प्रकार भीष्म, कृपाचार्य, द्रोणाचार्य, शल्य और दुर्योधन आदिसे घिरी हुई आपकी सेना ग्रहोंसे आकाशकी भाँति शोभा पा रही थी

Transliteration

tathā bhīṣma-kṛpa-droṇa-śalya-duryodhanādibhiḥ | tavāpi ca babhau senā grahair dyaur iva saṃvṛtā ||

Translation

त्याचप्रमाणे भीष्म, कृप, द्रोण, शल्य, दुर्योधन इत्यादींनी वेढलेली तुमची सेनाही ग्रहांनी वेढलेल्या आकाशासारखी शोभून दिसत होती—प्रसिद्ध वृद्ध व शूर योद्धे सभोवती उभे असल्याने तिचे तेज वाढत होते, तरी धर्माचा भार अंतःकरणात अनिर्णीतच होता.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

भीष्मकृपद्रोणशल्यदुर्योधनादिभिःby Bhishma, Kripa, Drona, Shalya, Duryodhana and others

तवof you, your

अपिalso, even

चand

बभौshone, appeared splendid

सेनाarmy

ग्रहैःby planets (luminaries)

द्यौःthe sky, heaven

इवlike, as

संवृताcovered, surrounded

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Śalya

Duryodhana

Kaurava army (senā)

Sky/heaven (dyauḥ)

Planets (graha)

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?

Outer brilliance—an army ‘shining’ with famous commanders—does not by itself settle the question of dharma. The verse highlights how prestige and strength can create an aura of legitimacy, yet ethical rightness must be judged by conduct and justice, not merely by the presence of celebrated elders and heroes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the appearance of the Kaurava forces: they look splendid because they are surrounded by eminent warriors such as Bhīṣma, Kṛpa, Droṇa, Śalya, and Duryodhana—just as the sky appears adorned when encircled by the planets.