Shloka 4

Chapter 89: Bhīma dispatched to protect Ghaṭotkaca amid escalating engagements

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठटिरो5पि कौरव्यो यमाभ्यां सहित: प्रभु: । महेष्वासं नरव्याप्र॑ भीष्मं शान्तनवं ययौ,कुरुनन्दन राजा युधिष्ठिर भी नकुल और सहदेवके साथ महाथनुर्धर पुरुषसिंह शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मका सामना करनेके लिये आगे बढ़े

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhiro ’pi Kauravyo Yamābhyāṃ sahitaḥ prabhuḥ | Maheṣvāsaṃ naravyāghraṃ Bhīṣmaṃ Śāntanavaṃ yayau ||

Translation

संजय म्हणाला—कौरवश्रेष्ठ, प्रभु युधिष्ठिरही यमपुत्र (नकुल-सहदेव) यांसह महाधनुर्धर नरव्याघ्र शान्तनुनंदन भीष्मास सामोरे जाण्यास पुढे सरसावला।

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

अपिalso/even

कौरव्यःthe Kaurava (descendant of Kuru)

यमाभ्याम्with the two sons of Yama (Nakula and Sahadeva)

सहितःaccompanied (together) with

प्रभुःthe lord/mighty one

महेष्वासम्the great bowman

नरव्याघ्रम्the tiger among men (best of men)

भीष्मम्Bhīṣma

शान्तनवम्son of Śantanu

ययौwent/advanced

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Yudhiṣṭhira

Nakula

Sahadeva

Bhīṣma

Śāntanu

Kuru dynasty

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 kṣatriya-dharma: even a righteous king must act decisively in a just war, balancing reverence for elders with the obligation to oppose adharma. Ethical tension is implicit—duty may require confronting those who are personally venerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira, accompanied by Nakula and Sahadeva, advances to face Bhīṣma—renowned as a supreme archer and foremost warrior—indicating a direct engagement with the Kaurava commander on the battlefield.