Shloka 50

Adhyāya 111 (Book 6): Daśama-dina-saṃgrāma—Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira and the Śikhaṇḍin-Led Advance

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच एवमुक्‍क्त्वा ततो भीष्म॑ पञठ्चभिनर्नतपर्वभि: । अविध्यत रणे भीष्म प्रणुन्नं वाक्यसायकै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca evam uktvā tato bhīṣmaṃ pañcabhir nataparvabhiḥ | avidhyat raṇe bhīṣmaṃ praṇunnaṃ vākyasāyakaiḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ଏପରି କହି ଶିଖଣ୍ଡୀ ରଣରେ ନତପର୍ବ ଥିବା ପାଞ୍ଚଟି ଶରଦ୍ୱାରା ଭୀଷ୍ମଙ୍କୁ ବିଦ୍ଧ କଲା। ଯେ ଭୀଷ୍ମ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ବାକ୍ୟରୂପୀ ଶରରେ ପ୍ରଣୁନ୍ନ ଓ ପୀଡିତ ଥିଲେ, ସେଇ ଭୀଷ୍ମ ଏବେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ପ୍ରକୃତ ଶରରେ ଆହତ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नतपर्वभिः: having bent joints/knots (i.e., with downward-bent nodes)
• नतपर्वभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नतपर्वन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अविध्यत्: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रणुन्नम्: driven/impelled; struck/pressed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नुद्
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वाक्यसायकैः: by word-arrows (arrows in the form of words)
• वाक्यसायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्यसायक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Śikhaṇḍin
• arrows (sāyaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how speech can function like a weapon—words can ‘wound’ and drive a person even before physical blows land—underscoring ethical responsibility in speech amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

After speaking, Śikhaṇḍin strikes Bhīṣma in the battle with five arrows described as having bent joints; Sañjaya notes that Bhīṣma was already pressed by ‘word-arrows’ and is now physically pierced.