Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सा पार्थिवशताकीर्णा समितिर्भीष्मशोभिता । शुशुभे भारती दीप्ता दिवीवादित्यमण्डलम्‌,सैकड़ों राजाओंसे भरी और भीष्मसे सुशोभित हुई वह भरतवंशियोंकी दीप्तिशालिनी सभा आकाशमें सूर्यममण्डलकी भाँति उस रणभूमिमें शोभा पाने लगी

Transliteration

sā pārthivaśatākīrṇā samitir bhīṣmaśobhitā | śuśubhe bhāratī dīptā divīvādityamaṇḍalam ||

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: Ang kapulungan sa larangan ng digmaan, na siksik sa daan-daang hari at pinagniningning ng presensya ni Bhīṣma, ay kumislap sa luwalhati ng mga Bhārata—gaya ng bilog ng araw na nagliliyab sa langit—sa ibabaw ng pook ng labanan.

Word by Word

साthat (she/it)

पार्थिवशताकीर्णाfilled with hundreds of kings

समितिःassembly; battle-host/army (gathering)

भीष्मशोभिताadorned by Bhīṣma

शुशुभेshone; appeared splendid

भारतीthe Bhārata (host/army) / belonging to the Bhāratas

दीप्ताblazing; radiant

दिविin heaven; in the sky

इवlike; as if

आदित्यमण्डलम्the orb/disk of the sun

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

pārthivāḥ (kings)

Bhāratas (the Kuru/Bhārata host)

āditya-maṇḍala (sun’s orb)

samiti (battle-assembly/field)

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 how a community’s perceived legitimacy and strength are amplified by eminent leadership (Bhīṣma) and unified royal support, creating an aura of grandeur; ethically, it also hints at the unsettling contrast between outward splendor and the inner cost of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the Kuru battle formation/assembly: it is packed with many kings and appears especially magnificent because Bhīṣma stands at its center, shining like the sun’s disk in the sky.