Shloka 14

भीष्मस्य सेनापत्यप्रतिज्ञा तथा रथसंख्यावर्णनम् | Bhishma Accepts Command and Enumerates Kaurava Strength

Devanagari script

श्वोभूते कत्थनावाक्यं विज्ञास्यति सुयोधन: । आचितं शरजालेन मया दृष्टवा पितामहम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śvobhūte katthanāvākyaṃ vijñāsyati suyodhanaḥ | ācitaṃ śarajālena mayā dṛṣṭvā pitāmaham |

Translation

ਸੰਜਯ ਬੋਲਿਆ—ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਸੁਯੋਧਨ ਆਪਣੀਆਂ ਡਿੰਗਾਂ ਮਾਰੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਦਾ ਨਤੀਜਾ ਜਾਣ ਲਵੇਗਾ, ਜਦੋਂ ਉਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਛੱਡੇ ਬਾਣਾਂ ਦੇ ਜਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਢੱਕੇ ਪਿਤਾਮਹ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖੇਗਾ।

Word by Word

• श्वः: tomorrow
• श्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वस्
• Form: indeclinable (time-adverb)

• भूते: when it has come / when it is (i.e., when tomorrow comes)
• भूते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• कत्थन: boasting, bragging
• Type: Noun
• Root: कत्थन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular (as first member in compound)

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• विज्ञास्यति: will know, will realize
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: simple future (luṭ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• सुयोधनः: Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• सुयोधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुयोधन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• आचितम्: covered, filled, heaped over
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आचित
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular (PPP; agreeing with पितामहम्)

• शर: arrow
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular (as first member in compound)

• जालेन: by a net/mass
• जालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाल
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: instrumental, singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा), indeclinable

• पितामहम्: the grandsire (Bhishma)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• śara-jāla (net/mass of arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Boastful speech (katthanā) invites a reckoning: words of pride are tested by outcomes. The verse underscores ethical restraint in speech and the inevitability of consequences in a dharmic conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya foretells that Duryodhana will realize the result of his bravado when he sees Bhīṣma, the grandsire, overwhelmed by a dense shower of arrows shot by Sanjaya—an image of impending battlefield reality replacing arrogant confidence.