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Shloka 263

Bhīṣma-parva Adhyāya 16 — Saṃjaya’s Boon, Bhīṣma’s Protection, and the Dawn Arraying of Armies

चुगान्ते समवेतौ द्वौ दृश्येते सागराविव । वे दोनों सेनाएँ प्रलयकालमें एक-दूसरेसे मिलनेवाले उन दो समुद्रोंके समान दृष्टिगोचर हो रही थीं, जिनमें मतवाले मगर और भँवरें होती हैं तथा जिनमें बड़े-बड़े ग्राह सब ओर फैले रहते हैं

cugānte samavetau dvau dṛśyete sāgarāv iva |

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—ครั้นใกล้สิ้นวัน กองทัพทั้งสองที่มาประจันหน้ากันนั้นปรากฏดุจมหาสมุทรสองสายซึ่งมาบรรจบกันในกาลปรลัย—ปั่นป่วนด้วยวังวน และเต็มไปด้วยสัตว์น้ำดุร้ายอันน่าสะพรึง

युगान्तेat the end of an age (yuga)
युगान्ते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुगान्त
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
समवेतौhaving come together, assembled
समवेतौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-इ (समवेत)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
द्वौtwo
द्वौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
दृश्येतेare seen, appear
दृश्येते:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
FormPresent, Third, Dual, Atmanepada (passive/medio-passive sense)
सागरौtwo oceans
सागरौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसागर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
इवlike, as if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
T
two armies
T
two oceans (simile)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses an apocalyptic ocean-simile to underline the ethical gravity of war: once vast forces converge, violence can become like a natural catastrophe—hard to restrain, sweeping up the innocent and the guilty alike—thereby warning that adharma-driven conflict tends toward collective ruin.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, as the day ends, the opposing forces have drawn together and stand confronting one another; their mass and agitation are compared to two oceans about to collide, foreshadowing the intensity of the next phase of battle.