Shloka 18

भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता महेष्वासास्ते वीरा: क्षिप्रकारिण: । महता शरवर्षेण अभ्यधावन्नरिंदमम्‌,भूरिश्रवाके ऐसा कहनेपर शीघ्रता करनेवाले उन महाधनुर्धर वीरोंने बड़ी भारी बाण- वर्षा करते हुए शत्रुदमन भूरिश्रवापर आक्रमण किया

Transliteration

evam uktā maheṣvāsās te vīrāḥ kṣiprakāriṇaḥ | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa abhyadhāvann ariṃdamam bhūriśravāḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Nang masabihan nang gayon, ang mga bayaning dakilang mamamana—mabilis kumilos—ay sumugod, nagpaulan ng napakaraming palaso, at sinalakay si Bhūriśravā, ang tagapagpabagsak ng mga kaaway.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्ताःhaving been addressed/said to

महेष्वासाःgreat bowmen

तेthose

वीराःheroes

क्षिप्रकारिणःquick-acting

महताwith great (force/amount)

शरवर्षेणby a shower of arrows

अभ्यधावन्ran towards/charged

अरिंदमम्the foe-subduer (enemy-tamer)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhūriśravā

arrows (śara)

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 promptness and resolve in action: once a directive or decision is given, warriors act swiftly and in unity. Ethically, it reflects the battlefield ideal of disciplined responsiveness within kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed, a group of great archers immediately charges and attacks Bhūriśravā, covering him with a heavy barrage of arrows.