Shloka 56

भीष्मरक्षण-उद्योगः, शिखण्डि-विवर्जनं, सर्वतोभद्र-व्यूहः

Protection of Bhīṣma, Exemption of Śikhaṇḍin, and the Sarvatobhadra Array

Devanagari script

सम्प्रदीप्तां महोल्काभामशनिं ज्वलितामिव । तत्पश्चात्‌ उसने पर्वतोंको भी विदीर्ण कर डालनेवाली प्रज्वलित उल्का एवं वज्रके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाली एक महाशक्ति हाथमें ली

Transliteration

sampradīptāṃ maholkābhām aśaniṃ jvalitām iva | tatpaścāt mahāśaktiṃ hastam ādade parvatān api vidārayituṃ samarthām ulkāvajravat prakāśamānām |

Translation

Wika ni Sanjaya: Pagkaraan, hinawakan niya sa kamay ang isang dakilang sibat na naglalagablab—gaya ng dambuhalang bulalakaw at gaya ng nag-aapoy na kidlat—nagniningning at kakila-kilabot, na kayang punitin maging ang mga bundok.

Word by Word

• सम्प्रदीप्ताम्: fully blazing
• सम्प्रदीप्ताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्प्रदीप्त (सम्+प्र+दीप्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• महा-उल्का-आभाम्: having the radiance of a great meteor
• महा-उल्का-आभाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आभा (with महा, उल्का)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अशनिम्: thunderbolt
• अशनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशनि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्वलिताम्: flaming
• ज्वलिताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलित (ज्वल्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: as if / like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahāśakti (great spear/javelin weapon)
• maholkā (great meteor)
• aśani (thunderbolt)
• parvata (mountains)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war magnifies destructive capability, implicitly challenging warriors to remain within dharma: power must be governed by restraint, proportionality, and righteous intent, even amid escalating violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant taking up a terrifyingly radiant mahāśakti, compared to a blazing meteor and a thunderbolt, emphasizing the imminent escalation of battle and the lethal force about to be unleashed.