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

سنجے نے کہا— بھورِشروَا کے یوں کہنے پر وہ عظیم کماندار، تیزکار بہادر، گھنے تیروں کی بارش برساتے ہوئے، دشمنوں کو دبانے والے بھورِشروَا پر ٹوٹ پڑے۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/said to
• उक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, kta (past passive participle)

• महेष्वासाः: great bowmen
• महेष्वासाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वीराः: heroes
• वीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्षिप्रकारिणः: quick-acting
• क्षिप्रकारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्रकारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महता: with great (force/amount)
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शरवर्षेण: by a shower of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अभ्यधावन्: ran towards/charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada, अभि

• अरिंदमम्: the foe-subduer (enemy-tamer)
• अरिंदमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhūriśravā
• arrows (śara)

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.