Shloka 22

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

त॑ हतं समरे भीष्म॑ं महारथकुलोदितम्‌ | संजयाचक्ष्व मे वीरं येन शर्म न विद्यहे

Transliteration

taṁ hataṁ samare bhīṣmaṁ mahāratha-kuloditam | sañjayācakṣva me vīraṁ yena śarma na vidyate ||

Translation

ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର କହିଲେ—ସଞ୍ଜୟ! ମହାରଥକୁଳରେ ଉଦ୍ଭବିତ ସେଇ ଭୀଷ୍ମ ସମରରେ କିପରି ହତ ହେଲେ, ମୋତେ କୁହ। ତାଙ୍କ ପତନ ଶୁଣିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋତେ ଶାନ୍ତି ମିଳୁନାହିଁ; ତେଣୁ ଯାହା ଘଟିଲା ସବୁ ବିସ୍ତାରେ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କର। ଯାହାଙ୍କ ପରାକ୍ରମ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରସମ, ଯାହାଙ୍କୁ ଜମଦଗ୍ନିନନ୍ଦନ ପରଶୁରାମ ମଧ୍ୟ ଜିତିପାରିଲେ ନାହିଁ, ଏବଂ ଯିଏ ସଦା ପରଶୁରାମଙ୍କ ସହିତ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ସ୍ପର୍ଧା କରିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଥିଲେ—ସେ ଭୀଷ୍ମ କିପରି ନିହତ ହେଲେ?

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (person)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हतम्: slain
• हतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• महारथकुलोदितम्: arisen in the lineage of great chariot-warriors
• महारथकुलोदितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महारथ-कुल-उदित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• संजय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आचक्ष्व: tell/declare
• आचक्ष्व: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• वीरम्: the hero
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• येन: by whom/through whom
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शर्म: peace/comfort
• शर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Paraśurāma
• Jamadagni
• Indra
• raṇabhūmi (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral weight of war and the anguish of attachment: even the fall of a seemingly invincible hero brings no solace to those bound by grief and responsibility. It also underscores the epic’s ethic of truthful witnessing—Sañjaya is asked to narrate events clearly so that understanding may arise amid sorrow.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, distressed and unable to find peace, asks Sañjaya to explain how Bhīṣma—renowned as a supreme warrior, comparable in valor to Indra and famed for his rivalry with Paraśurāma—could have been killed on the battlefield.