Shloka 14

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

एष द्रोण: कृप: शल्यो विकर्णश्न जनार्दन । धार्रराष्ट्रश्न सहिता दुर्योधनपुरोगमा:,'जनार्दन! सुदृढ़ धनुष धारण करनेवाले भीष्मके द्वारा सुरक्षित हो ये द्रोण, कृप, शल्य, विकर्ण तथा दुर्योधन आदि समस्त धुृतराष्ट्रपुत्र मिलकर पांचाल योद्धाओंका संहार कर डालेंगे। अतः सेनाकी रक्षाके लिये मैं भीष्मका वध कर डालूँगा”

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | eṣa droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ śalyo vikarṇaś ca janārdana | dhārtarāṣṭrāś ca sahitā duryodhana-purogamāḥ |

Translation

“జనార్దనా! ఇక్కడ ద్రోణుడు, కృపుడు, శల్యుడు, వికర్ణుడు, అలాగే దుర్యోధనుని ముందుండగా ధృతరాష్ట్రపుత్రులందరూ ఉన్నారు. భీష్ముని దృఢ రక్షణలో వీరందరూ కలిసి పాంచాల యోధులను సంహరిస్తారు; అందుకే సైన్యరక్షణార్థం నేను భీష్ముణ్ణి వధిస్తాను.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'sañjaya uvāca', 'definition': 'Sañjaya said (narrator reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra)'}, {'term': 'eṣa', 'definition': 'this/these

• here (pointing out those present)'}, {'term': 'droṇaḥ', 'definition': 'Droṇa, the preceptor and commander

• master of weapons'}, {'term': 'kṛpaḥ', 'definition': 'Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya), royal teacher and warrior'}, {'term': 'śalyaḥ', 'definition': 'Śalya, king of Madra

• a major warrior'}, {'term': 'vikarṇaḥ', 'definition': 'Vikarṇa, a son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra'}, {'term': 'janārdana', 'definition': 'Janārdana, epithet of Kṛṣṇa (stirrer/remover of oppression

• protector)'}, {'term': 'dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ', 'definition': 'sons/party of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (the Kauravas)'}, {'term': 'sahitāḥ', 'definition': 'together, united, in company'}, {'term': 'duryodhana-purogamāḥ', 'definition': 'having Duryodhana in front

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• Droṇa
• Kṛpa
• Śalya
• Vikarṇa
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra / Kauravas)
• Duryodhana
• Bhīṣma
• Pāñcālas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between loyalty to revered elders and the necessity of decisive action in war: when a single invincible protector (Bhīṣma) enables large-scale slaughter, strategy may demand confronting that protector for the greater safeguarding of one’s forces—raising questions of dharma, proportionality, and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya points out the principal Kaurava champions—Droṇa, Kṛpa, Śalya, Vikarṇa, and the Dhṛtarāṣṭra sons led by Duryodhana—emphasizing that under Bhīṣma’s protection they can devastate the Pāñcāla contingent. The reported resolve is to remove Bhīṣma as the key defensive pillar to protect the army and alter the battle’s balance.