Shloka 2

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

कथमाचक्ष्व मे योधा हीना भीष्मेण संजय । बलिना देवकल्पेन गुर्वर्थे ब्रह्मचारिणा

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |

katham ācakṣva me yodhā hīnā bhīṣmeṇa sañjaya |

balinā devakalpena gurvarthe brahmacāriṇā ||

Translation

จงบอกเราเถิด สัญชัย—บัดนี้เหล่านักรบของเรามีสภาพเช่นไร เมื่อปราศจากภีษมะ ผู้มีกำลังดุจเทพ ผู้ถือพรหมจรรย์ตลอดชีวิตเพื่อความพอพระทัยของบิดาและเพื่อกิจของครู? กองทัพของเราเป็นอย่างไรเมื่อไร้เขา?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• आचक्ष्व: tell, explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष्
• Form: Lot (imperative), 2, singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, genitive, singular

• योधाः: warriors, soldiers
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• हीनाः: deprived (of), without
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• भीष्मेण: by/with Bhishma
• भीष्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• बलिना: by the strong one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• देवकल्पेन: god-like
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवकल्प
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• गुरु-अर्थे: for the sake of the teacher/elder (duty to guru)
• गुरु-अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुर्वर्थ
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• ब्रह्मचारिणा: by the celibate (vowed student)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a single person’s dharma—Bhīṣma’s lifelong vow of brahmacarya undertaken for higher duty (father’s satisfaction and the guru’s cause)—can become a moral and strategic pillar for an entire community; when such a dharmic anchor is absent, collective confidence and order are shaken.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra anxiously questions Sañjaya about the condition of the Kaurava forces now that Bhīṣma—renowned as godlike in strength and defined by his vows—is no longer present to lead and protect them.