Shloka 28
Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam
Devanagari script
आपततन्तं गजानीकं दृष्टवा पार्थो वृकोदर:
Transliteration
āpatatantaṃ gajānīkaṃ dṛṣṭvā pārtho vṛkodaraḥ
Translation
సంజయుడు పలికెను—దూసుకొచ్చే గజసేనను చూచి పార్థుడు, వృకోదరుడు ఆ సమీపిస్తున్న ఘోర దాడిని గమనించారు; యుద్ధవేగం వారి ముందే ప్రత్యక్షమైనట్లు అయింది।
Word by Word
आपततन्तम्rushing/charging (towards)
आपततन्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootआपतत् (आपत् + शतृ)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
गजानीकम्elephant-corps, elephant-division
गजानीकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगज + अनीक
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite
पार्थःPartha (Arjuna)
पार्थः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृकोदरःVrikodara (Bhima; 'wolf-bellied')
वृकोदरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृकोदर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaP
Pārtha (Arjuna)V
Vṛkodara (Bhīma)G
gajānīka (elephant corps)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
The verse highlights the ethical demand of kṣatriya-dharma in war: when overwhelming force advances, the righteous response is not panic but clear perception and resolute action guided by duty and strategy.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna and Bhīma see an elephant division charging toward them, signaling an intensification of the battle and setting up their response to a formidable battlefield threat.