Shloka 57

भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal

Devanagari script

तेन मायामया: सृष्टा हयास्तावन्त एव हि । स्वारूढा राक्षसैघोरै: शूलपट्टिशधारिभि:,उसने मायामय दो हजार घोड़े उत्पन्न किये, जिनपर शूल और पट्टिश धारण करनेवाले भयंकर राक्षस सवार थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tena māyāmayāḥ sṛṣṭā hayās tāvanta eva hi | svārūḍhā rākṣasaiḥ ghoraiḥ śūla-paṭṭiśa-dhāribhiḥ ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Силой майи он сотворил призрачных коней — ровно столько же, — и на каждом сидели ужасные ракшасы, держа копья и боевые секиры.

Word by Word

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मायामयाः: made of illusion, illusory
• मायामयाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मायामय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सृष्टाः: created, produced
• सृष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तावन्तः: so many, that many
• तावन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: for, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• स्वारूढाः: mounted (upon them), riding
• स्वारूढाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वारूढ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राक्षसैः: by/with demons (rakshasas)
• राक्षसैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• घोरैः: terrible, frightful
• घोरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शूलपट्टिशधारिभिः: by/with (those) bearing spears and axes
• शूलपट्टिशधारिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: शूलपट्टिशधारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• māyā (illusion/magic)
• hayāḥ (horses)
• rākṣasāḥ (rākṣasas)
• śūla (spear)
• paṭṭiśa (battle-axe)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights māyā as a force that can distort perception in conflict; ethical steadiness requires discernment and courage so that fear-inducing spectacles do not derail one’s dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant producing illusory horses, each ridden by fearsome rākṣasas armed with spears and battle-axes—an intimidating, magical display meant to overwhelm opponents.