Shloka 11

Abhimanyunidhana-prakāśaḥ — Vasudeva–Kṛṣṇa–Subhadrā–Kuntī śoka-saṃvāda

Disclosure and Consolation

Devanagari script

ततः शिखण्डी गाड़ेयं युध्यमानं महाहवे । जघान बहुभिर्बाणै: सह गाण्डीवधन्चना

Transliteration

tataḥ śikhaṇḍī gāṅgeyaṁ yudhyamānaṁ mahāhave | jaghāna bahubhir bāṇaiḥ saha gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ||

Translation

Rồi Śikhaṇḍī, giữa đại chiến, đã đánh trúng Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma) khi ông vẫn đang giao tranh, xuyên ông bằng vô số mũi tên—cùng phối hợp với Arjuna, người cầm cung Gāṇḍīva. Cảnh ấy cho thấy trong chiến tranh, mưu lược và thế cuộc có thể lấn át dũng lực cá nhân: uy lực ghê gớm của Bhīṣma bị chặn lại bởi liên minh, thế đứng chiến thuật, và cả những ràng buộc do chính lời thệ và lựa chọn của ông.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')

• शिखण्डी: Shikhaṇḍī
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• गाङ्गेयम्: Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā)
• गाङ्गेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• युध्यमानम्: fighting
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्यमान
• Form: Present participle (śatṛ/śānac), accusative masculine singular; from dhātu √युध् (युध्यते)

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

• जघान: struck/slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन्
• Form: Perfect (liṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• बहुभिः: with many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह
• Form: Avyaya (preposition-like; governs instrumental)

• गाण्डीवधन्वना: with the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow (Arjuna)
• गाण्डीवधन्वना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाण्डीवधन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, singular

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (speaker)
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma)
• Arjuna (Gāṇḍīvadhanvan)
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• Gaṅgā (implied by 'Gāṅgeya')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a dharmic war, outcomes often hinge on alliances, strategy, and the moral-psychological constraints created by one’s vows and past choices; sheer strength alone does not determine victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śikhaṇḍī, alongside Arjuna wielding the Gāṇḍīva, showers Bhīṣma (the son of Gaṅgā) with many arrows during the great battle, severely wounding him.