Shloka 25

Mahābhārata-saṅkṣepa and Avatāra-kāraṇa

Brahmā’s Synopsis of the Epic and the Logic of Divine Descents

Devanagari script

भीष्मः सेनापतिरभूदादौ दौर्योधने बले / पाण्डवानां शिखण्डी च तयोर्युद्धं बभूव ह / शस्त्राशस्त्रि महाघोरं धसरात्रं शराशरि

Transliteration

bhīṣmaḥ senāpatirabhūdādau dauryodhane bale / pāṇḍavānāṃ śikhaṇḍī ca tayoryuddhaṃ babhūva ha / śastrāśastri mahāghoraṃ dhasarātraṃ śarāśari

Translation

ابتدا میں دُریودھن کی فوج میں بھیشم سپہ سالار بنے اور پانڈوؤں کی طرف شکھنڈی کھڑا تھا۔ پھر ان دونوں کے درمیان ہتھیار کے مقابل ہتھیار نہایت ہولناک جنگ ہوئی؛ دس راتوں تک دونوں جانب تیروں کی بارش ہوتی رہی۔

Word by Word

• bhīṣmaḥ: Bhīṣma
• bhīṣmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• senāpatiḥ: commander of the army
• senāpatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (सेनायाः पतिः)

• abhūt: became/was
• abhūt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ādau: at first, in the beginning
• ādau: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• dauryodhane: in/for Duryodhana’s (side)
• dauryodhane: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dauryodhana (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्योधन-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे ‘बल’ नपुंसक), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धवाचक-विशेषणम् (bale)

• bale: in the army/force
• bale: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्

• pāṇḍavānām: of the Pāṇḍavas
• pāṇḍavānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇḍava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• śikhaṇḍī: Śikhaṇḍī
• śikhaṇḍī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhaṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• tayoḥ: of those two (of them)
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचनम्

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्

• babhūva: came to be, occurred
• babhūva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• śastra-aśastri: with weapons and without weapons (i.e., all kinds)
• śastra-aśastri: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक) + aśastra (प्रातिपदिक) + -in (इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (yuddham-विशेषण), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; द्वन्द्वसमासः (शस्त्र + अशस्त्र) + इन्-प्रत्ययः

• mahāghoram: very terrible
• mahāghoram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (उपसर्गवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् घोरः)

• dhasarātram: lasting (many) nights; (text uncertain)
• dhasarātram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhasa-rātra (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः; पाठे ‘धसरात्रम्’ अस्पष्टः (सम्भवतः ‘दशरात्रम्’ = ten nights)

• śarāśari: with arrows and without arrows / of arrows (text uncertain)
• śarāśari: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + aśara (प्रातिपदिक) + -in (इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (yuddham-विशेषण), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; द्वन्द्वसमासः (शर + अशर) + इन्-प्रत्ययः; पाठः अस्पष्टः

Speaker

Narratorial verse (not clearly Vishnu↔Garuda dialogue from this excerpt)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Roles and outcomes in war are shaped by prior vows, boons, and karmic entanglements; even great heroes meet destined limits.

Vedantic Theme: Prārabdha-karma and the constraint of embodied duty; the inevitability of time (kāla) within saṃsāra.

Application: Acknowledge that power and position do not remove vulnerability; plan with humility, and avoid pride in authority.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (1.145) sequence: Bhīṣma’s command, Śikhaṇḍī’s role, and the lead-in to Bhīṣma’s meditation on Viṣṇu

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Duryodhana
• Pandavas
• Shikhandi

FAQs

What is the significance of Bhishma being appointed commander in the war narrative?

It marks the opening phase of the Kurukṣetra war, where Bhīṣma leads the Kaurava forces and the conflict intensifies around his near-invincibility and vows.

Why is Shikhandi mentioned alongside the Pandavas in relation to Bhishma?

Śikhaṇḍī is central to the strategy against Bhīṣma, since Bhīṣma’s code prevents him from fighting Śikhaṇḍī as a full opponent, enabling the Pandavas to confront him effectively.

What practical lesson can be drawn from this verse today?

It highlights how leadership and ethical constraints shape outcomes: personal vows and principles can decisively influence even large-scale conflicts.