Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

इन्द्रायुधसवर्ण तु विस्फार्य सुमहद्‌ धनु: । सृष्टवान्‌ वजसंकाशान्‌ शरानाशीविषोपमान्‌

Transliteration

indrāyudhasavarṇa tu visphārya sumahad dhanuḥ | sṛṣṭavān vajasaṅkāśān śarān āśīviṣopamān ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—اندرا کے قوسِ قزح جیسے رنگ والے اپنے عظیم کمان کو پوری طرح کھینچ کر اس نے بجلی کے کوندے کی مانند چمکتے، زہریلے سانپوں جیسے مہلک تیر چھوڑے۔

Word by Word

• इन्द्रायुधसवर्णः: having the color of a rainbow
• इन्द्रायुधसवर्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रायुध-सवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• विस्फार्य: having stretched/drawn (it)
• विस्फार्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: विस्फारय्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (causative base)

• सुमहत्: very great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सृष्टवान्: released/shot
• सृष्टवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: क्तवतुँ (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वजसंकाशान्: resembling thunderbolts
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र-संकाश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आशीविषोपमान्: like venomous serpents
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविष-उपम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra
• Indra’s bow (rainbow)
• mighty bow (dhanuḥ)
• thunderbolt-like arrows
• venomous serpents (as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how martial power, once drawn and released, becomes swift and lethal; it implicitly warns that force carries grave consequences and must be governed by dharma and restraint, especially amid the chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior drawing a great bow likened to Indra’s rainbow and then shooting arrows compared to thunderbolts and venomous snakes, emphasizing the intensity and deadly momentum of the battle.