Shloka 64

Devanagari script

ततो भीष्म॑ पुरस्कृत्य तव पुत्रो महाबल: । वृतस्तु सर्वसैन्येन प्रायाच्छवेतरथं प्रति

Transliteration

tato bhīṣmaṁ puraskṛtya tava putro mahābalaḥ | vṛtastu sarvasainyena prāyācchvetarathaṁ prati ||

Translation

ତେବେ ତୁମ ମହାବଳୀ ପୁତ୍ର ଭୀଷ୍ମଙ୍କୁ ଅଗ୍ରେ ରଖି, ସମଗ୍ର ସେନାଦ୍ୱାରା ଘେରାଯାଇ, ଶ୍ୱେତରଥ ପ୍ରତି ଅଗ୍ରସର ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

भीष्मम्Bhishma

पुरस्कृत्यhaving placed in front / having put forward

तवyour

पुत्रःson

महाबलःmighty-strong

वृतःsurrounded, encompassed

तुbut, indeed

सर्वसैन्येनby/with the whole army

प्रायात्went forth, advanced

श्वेतरथम्the one with the white chariot (Arjuna)

प्रतिtowards, against

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana)

Śvetaratha

the Kaurava army

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 a wartime ethic of command: power is exercised by placing an acknowledged elder and commander at the forefront and moving with collective support. It reflects how authority, hierarchy, and organized force shape decisions in battle, raising ethical questions about responsibility when action is taken under revered leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that his powerful son (Duryodhana) advanced toward the warrior Śvetaratha, with Bhīṣma positioned in front as the leading figure, while the whole army surrounded and accompanied him.