Shloka 3

कुरुक्षेत्रे सेनानिवेशवृत्तान्तः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Questions Saṃjaya on the Deployed Armies

Devanagari script

प्रजापतिमिवौदार्ये तेजसा भास्करोपमम्‌ | महेन्द्रमिव शत्रूणां ध्वंसनं शरवृष्टिभि:

Transliteration

prajāpatim ivaudārye tejasā bhāskaropamam | mahendram iva śatrūṇāṁ dhvaṁsanaṁ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ || janamejaya uvāca ||

Translation

ଜନମେଜୟ କହିଲେ— ଉଦାରତାରେ ସେ ପ୍ରଜାପତି ସମ, ତେଜରେ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସମ; ଏବଂ ଶରବୃଷ୍ଟିଦ୍ୱାରା ଶତ୍ରୁଧ୍ୱଂସରେ ମହେନ୍ଦ୍ର ସମ। ଗଙ୍ଗାପୁତ୍ର ମହାତ୍ମା ଭୀଷ୍ମ—ସମସ୍ତ ଶସ୍ତ୍ରଧାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଏବଂ ରାଜମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଧ୍ୱଜ ସମ—ସେଇ ଭୟଙ୍କର, ଲୋମହର୍ଷକ ରଣଯଜ୍ଞ ପାଇଁ ଦୀର୍ଘକାଳ ଦୀକ୍ଷା (ଦୀର୍ଘ ଯୁଦ୍ଧବ୍ରତ) ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିଛନ୍ତି ବୋଲି ଶୁଣି, ମହାବାହୁ, ବୀରଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କ’ଣ କହିଲେ? ଭୀମସେନ ଓ ଅର୍ଜୁନ କ’ଣ କହିଲେ? ଏବଂ ଭଗବାନ ଶ୍ରୀକୃଷ୍ଣ କିପରି ନିଜ ମତ ପ୍ରକାଶ କଲେ?

Word by Word

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• औदार्ये: in generosity
• औदार्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: औदार्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तेजसा: by radiance/splendor
• तेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भास्कर: the Sun
• भास्कर: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• उपमम्: comparable to; like
• उपमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महेन्द्रम्: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• शत्रूणाम्: of enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ध्वंसनम्: destruction
• ध्वंसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वंसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शर: with arrows
• शर: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वृष्टिभिः: by showers (rains)
• वृष्टिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Prajāpati
• Bhāskara (Sun)
• Mahendra/Indra
• Bhīṣma
• Gaṅgā
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīmasena
• Arjuna
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• śara (arrows)
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• raṇa-yajña (battle-sacrifice)
• dīkṣā (consecration)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Bhīṣma’s martial excellence within ethical and cosmic ideals: generosity (Prajāpati), radiance (Sun), and enemy-subduing power (Indra). By calling war a ‘raṇa-yajña’ and Bhīṣma’s commitment a ‘dīkṣā’, it highlights how kṣatriya action is traditionally interpreted as a vowed duty requiring discipline, restraint, and accountability—not mere violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya, hearing that Bhīṣma has effectively ‘taken vows’ for the impending terrible conflict, asks Vaiśaṃpāyana to report the reactions and counsel among the Pāṇḍava side—what Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, and Arjuna said, and how Kṛṣṇa articulated his opinion—setting up the next portion of the dialogue and strategy.