Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तत्र भीष्म: शान्तनवो नित्यं मण्डलकार्मुक: । मुमोच बाणान्‌ दीप्ताग्रानहीनाशीविषानिव,वहाँ शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्म अपने धनुषको मण्डलाकार करके विषधर सर्पोंके समान भयंकर एवं प्रज्वलित बाणोंकी निरन्तर वर्षा कर रहे थे

Transliteration

tatra bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo nityaṁ maṇḍalakārmukaḥ | mumoca bāṇān dīptāgrān ahīn āśīviṣān iva ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Ali, Bhīṣma, filho de Śāntanu, sempre fazendo o arco girar em varrida circular, continuava a disparar flechas de pontas ardentes—terríveis como serpentes venenosas.

Word by Word

तत्रthere

भीष्मःBhishma

शान्तनवःson of Shantanu

नित्यम्constantly

मण्डलकार्मुकःhaving a bow bent into a circle (circular-bowed)

मुमोचreleased, let fly

बाणान्arrows

दीप्ताग्रान्with blazing tips

अहीनunabated, unceasing (not deficient)

आशीविषान्venomous serpents

इवlike, as

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Śāntanu

bow (kārmuka)

arrows (bāṇa)

venomous serpents (āśīviṣa)

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 disciplined martial excellence and the relentless momentum of war, reminding the listener that even dutiful action (kṣatriya-dharma) can carry fearsome consequences; ethical reflection arises from seeing duty executed with overwhelming power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīṣma on the battlefield continuously shooting blazing arrows in rapid, circular bow-sweeps, comparing the arrows’ terror to venomous snakes.