Shloka 12

Devanagari script

भीष्म: शान्तनवो राजन्‌ भाग: क्लृप्त: शिखण्डिन: । तं॑ विराटोडनुसंयाता सार्थ मत्स्यै: प्रहारिभि:,राजन! शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मजीके वधका कार्य शिखण्डीको सौंपा गया है। राजा विराट मत्स्यदेशीय योद्धाओंके साथ शिखण्डीकी सहायताके लिये उसका अनुसरण करेंगे

Transliteration

bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo rājan bhāgaḥ klṛptaḥ śikhaṇḍinaḥ | taṃ virāṭo 'nusamyātā sārthaṃ matsyaiḥ prahāribhiḥ ||

Translation

அரசே! சாந்தனுவின் மகன் பீஷ்மனை வீழ்த்தும் பணி சிகண்டிக்கே ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மத்திய நாட்டின் தாக்குதல்மிகு வீரர்களுடன் விராடன், சிகண்டிக்கு துணையாக அவனைத் தொடர்ந்து செல்வான்।

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

शान्तनवःson/descendant of Shantanu

राजन्O king

भागःshare/portion; (here) the task/part

क्लृप्तःassigned, arranged, allotted

शिखण्डिनःof Shikhandin (to/for Shikhandin)

तम्him

विराटःVirata

अनुसंयाताhaving followed; accompanying (as follower)

सार्थम्together with

मत्स्यैःwith the Matsyas (men of Matsya country)

प्रहारिभिःwith fighters/strikers, warriors

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhishma

Shantanu

Shikhandin

Virata

Matsya (kingdom/people)

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 role-allocation in dharmic warfare: responsibilities are deliberately assigned according to circumstance and capability, and allies coordinate to support a designated agent. It also reflects the ethical tension of confronting an invincible elder through a specific, pre-arranged means.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports the planned arrangement: Shikhandin is designated as the key figure for Bhishma’s downfall, and King Virata, along with Matsya fighters, will accompany and support Shikhandin in that effort.