Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

यस्य वीर्य समाश्रित्य मम पुत्रो बृहद्धल: । न पाण्डवानगणयत्‌ कथं स निहतः परै:

Transliteration

yasya vīryaṃ samāśritya mama putro bṛhaddhalaḥ | na pāṇḍavān agaṇayat kathaṃ sa nihataḥ paraiḥ ||

Translation

ଯାହାଙ୍କ ପରାକ୍ରମକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ମୋ ପୁତ୍ର—ମହାବଳବାନ ଓ ବିଶାଳ ସେନାବଳରେ ସମର୍ଥ—ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନଙ୍କୁ ତୁଚ୍ଛ ଭାବୁଥିଲା, ସେ ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା କିପରି ନିହତ ହେଲା?

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वीर्यम्: valor, prowess
• वीर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रित्य: having relied on, taking refuge in
• समाश्रित्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बृहद्धलः: Brihadbala (lit. ‘of great army/force’)
• बृहद्धलः: Karta
• Type: ProperNoun
• Root: बृहद्धल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• पाण्डवान्: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अगणयत्: did not count/esteem, disregarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: गणय् (गण् + णिच्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निहतः: slain, killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परैः: by others, by enemies
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son (a Kaurava)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Enemies (parāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how reliance on perceived power and contempt for others breeds delusion; in war, arrogance and misjudgment can lead to ruin, and grief then questions the very assumptions that fueled the conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing of battlefield deaths, expresses astonishment and sorrow: his son, confident due to the support of a powerful champion and large forces, had dismissed the Pāṇḍavas—so Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks how such a son could nevertheless be killed by the opposing side.