Shloka 18

भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता महेष्वासास्ते वीरा: क्षिप्रकारिण: । महता शरवर्षेण अभ्यधावन्नरिंदमम्‌,भूरिश्रवाके ऐसा कहनेपर शीघ्रता करनेवाले उन महाधनुर्धर वीरोंने बड़ी भारी बाण- वर्षा करते हुए शत्रुदमन भूरिश्रवापर आक्रमण किया

Transliteration

evam uktā maheṣvāsās te vīrāḥ kṣiprakāriṇaḥ | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa abhyadhāvann ariṃdamam bhūriśravāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Assim interpelados, aqueles heróis, grandes arqueiros e rápidos em agir, avançaram, derramando uma poderosa chuva de flechas, e investiram contra Bhūriśravā, o subjugador de inimigos.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्ताःhaving been addressed/said to

महेष्वासाःgreat bowmen

तेthose

वीराःheroes

क्षिप्रकारिणःquick-acting

महताwith great (force/amount)

शरवर्षेणby a shower of arrows

अभ्यधावन्ran towards/charged

अरिंदमम्the foe-subduer (enemy-tamer)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhūriśravā

arrows (śara)

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 promptness and resolve in action: once a directive or decision is given, warriors act swiftly and in unity. Ethically, it reflects the battlefield ideal of disciplined responsiveness within kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed, a group of great archers immediately charges and attacks Bhūriśravā, covering him with a heavy barrage of arrows.