Shloka 396

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

पातयिष्यामि दुर्धर्ष भीष्म॑ कुरुपितामहम्‌ । “अच्छा, जहाँ भीष्म हैं, उसी ओर घोड़ोंको बढ़ाइये। आज मैं आपकी आज्ञाका पालन करूँगा। कुरुकुलके वृद्ध पितामह दुर्धर्ष वीर भीष्मको मार गिराऊँगा”

Transliteration

pātayiṣyāmi durdharṣa bhīṣmaṃ kurupitāmaham |

Translation

“సరే—భీష్ముడు ఉన్న దిశకే గుర్రాలను నడిపించండి. ఈ రోజు నేను మీ ఆజ్ఞను నెరవేర్చుతాను. కురువుల పితామహుడు, దుర్ధర్ష వీరుడు భీష్ముని నేను కూలదోస్తాను.”

Word by Word

पातयिष्यामिI will cause to fall / I will strike down

दुर्धर्षO unassailable one

भीष्मम्Bhishma

कुरु-पितामहम्the grandsire of the Kurus

अहम्I

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Kuru dynasty (Kurus)

horses (of the chariot)

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?

Even in a righteous war, dharma can demand painful action: obedience to legitimate command and protection of one’s side may require confronting revered elders. The verse highlights the ethical strain between respect for elders and the kṣatriya duty to fight when duty calls.

What is happening in the narrative?

A warrior (reported by Sañjaya) declares his intention to bring down Bhīṣma and instructs the charioteer to drive toward Bhīṣma’s position, affirming that he will follow the given order that day.