Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

तमेक॑ छादयामासुर्मेघा इव दिवाकरम्‌ । भीष्म भागीरथीपुत्र प्रतपन्तं रणे रिपून्‌

Transliteration

tam ekaṁ chādayāmāsur meghā iva divākaram | bhīṣma bhāgīrathīputra pratapantaṁ raṇe ripūn, paraṁtapa ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను— పరంతపా! మేఘాలు సూర్యుణ్ణి కప్పినట్లు వారు ఒక్క భీష్ముని ఆవరించారు. అయితే భాగీరథీపుత్రుడు భీష్ముడు ఆ సమయంలో రణభూమిలో ఒంటరిగా నిలిచి శత్రువులను తీవ్రంగా దహింపజేస్తూ ఉన్నాడు.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकम्: alone, single
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• छादयामासुः: they covered
• Type: Verb
• Root: छाद्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मेघाः: clouds
• मेघाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• दिवाकरम्: the sun
• दिवाकरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भीष्म: O Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भागीरथीपुत्र: O son of Bhagirathi (Ganga)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागीरथी-पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रतपन्तम्: scorching, tormenting
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतप्
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• रिपून्: enemies
• रिपून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)
• Divākara (Sun)
• Meghāḥ (clouds)
• Ripavaḥ (enemies)
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and warrior-duty under overwhelming pressure: even when surrounded and ‘covered’ by enemy forces, Bhīṣma continues to act with unwavering resolve, embodying kṣatriya valor and endurance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes how many warriors converge on Bhīṣma, showering him with innumerable arrows and surrounding him with mixed troops, like clouds obscuring the sun; nevertheless, Bhīṣma stands alone and powerfully harasses the enemy in the thick of battle.