Shloka 30

Devanagari script

एवं दश दिशो भीष्म: शरजालै: समन्तत: । अतीत्य सेनां पार्थानामवतस्थे चमूमुखे,इस प्रकार भीष्मने दसों दिशाओंमें सब ओर अपने बाणोंका जाल-सा बिछा दिया और कुन्तीकुमारोंकी सेनाको परास्त करके वे सेनाके प्रमुख भागमें स्थित हो गये

Transliteration

evaṁ daśa diśo bhīṣmaḥ śarajālaiḥ samantataḥ | atītya senāṁ pārthānām avatasthau camūmukhe ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ఇట్లుగా భీష్ముడు పది దిశలందు చుట్టూరా బాణజాలమును విస్తరింపజేసి, పార్థుల సేనను ఛేదించి సేనాగ్రమున నిలిచెను.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

दशten

दिशःdirections

भीष्मःBhishma

शरजालैःwith nets of arrows

समन्ततःon all sides

अतीत्यhaving crossed/passed beyond

सेनाम्army

पार्थानाम्of the sons of Pritha (Pandavas)

अवतस्थेstood / took position

चमूमुखेat the front of the army

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhishma

Parthas (Pandavas)

army (sena/camu)

arrows (shara)

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 the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness and tactical excellence in battle—how disciplined force and command presence can dominate the field—while implicitly reminding the listener that such prowess operates within the larger moral tension of a dharma-conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma saturates the battlefield with arrows in every direction, overwhelms the Pāṇḍava ranks, and then positions himself at the very front of the Kaurava host, asserting control over the engagement.