Shloka 21

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

तद्‌ युद्धमासीत्‌ सुमहत्‌ तयोस्तत्र समागमे । यदाभ्यधावद्‌ गाड़ेयं शिखण्डी शत्रुकर्शन:

Transliteration

tad yuddham āsīt sumahat tayos tatra samāgame | yadābhyadhāvad gāṅgeyaṃ śikhaṇḍī śatrukarśanaḥ ||

Translation

ସେତେବେଳେ ଉଭୟ ସେନାର ସମାଗମରେ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ଭଡ଼ିଉଠିଲା; ସେଇ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ଶତ୍ରୁକର୍ଷକ ଶିଖଣ୍ଡୀ ଗଙ୍ଗାନନ୍ଦନ ଭୀଷ୍ମଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ସିଧା ଧାଇଲା।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सुमहत्: very great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तयोः: of those two
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• समागमे: in the encounter/meeting
• समागमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यत्: which/when (that in which)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यधावत्: ran towards/charged at
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, अभि

• गाङ्गेयम्: the son of Ganga (Bhishma)
• गाङ्गेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (proper epithet)
• Root: गाङ्गेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शिखण्डी: Shikhandi
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शत्रुकर्शनः: crusher of foes
• Type: Adjective (epithet)
• Root: शत्रुकर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya)
• Gaṅgā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pivotal actions by principal warriors can unleash large-scale consequences in war, intensifying both strategic pressure and ethical tension—especially when the target is a figure like Bhīṣma, bound by vows and dharma yet caught in a catastrophic conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a massive fight erupted at the encounter of the two sides precisely when Śikhaṇḍī rushed to attack Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya), signaling a major escalation on the battlefield.