Shloka 22

भीष्मभीमसमागमः — Bhīṣma–Bhīma Strategic Engagement and Counsel to the King

Devanagari script

सर्वत: शुशुभे राजन्‌ रणे5रीणां दुरासद: । मण्डलं तु समालोक्य व्यूहं परमदुर्जयम्‌

Transliteration

sarvataḥ śuśubhe rājan raṇe 'rīṇāṃ durāsadaḥ | maṇḍalaṃ tu samālokya vyūhaṃ paramadurjayam ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: О царь, со всех сторон на поле брани сияло построение врагов — подступ к нему был крайне труден. Увидев это круговое построение, боевой порядок, почти непобедимый, можно было ощутить и блеск воинской дисциплины, и тяжкую угрозу для всякого, кто осмелится выступить против него.

Word by Word

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतस्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• शुशुभे: shone, was splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, vocative singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, locative singular

• अरीणाम्: of the enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, genitive plural

• दुरासदः: hard to assail/approach
• दुरासदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• मण्डलम्: circle, ring-formation
• मण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, accusative singular

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable particle)

• समालोक्य: having looked at, observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आलोक्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-न्त), indeclinable

• व्यूहम्: battle-array, formation
• व्यूहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

• परमदुर्जयम्: most difficult to conquer
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमदुर्जय
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• enemies/foes (arīṇām)
• maṇḍala (circular formation)
• vyūha (battle formation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how disciplined military organization (vyūha) can become a formidable moral and practical challenge in war: brilliance and order may mask danger, reminding the listener that power and strategy intensify the stakes and consequences of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the enemy host in the battlefield appears splendid and difficult to assail, specifically noting a circular (maṇḍala) battle formation that is extremely hard to defeat.