Shloka 246

Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam

Devanagari script

महता रथवंशेन पार्थस्यावारयन्‌ दिश: । तब रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ कृपाचार्य

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mahatā rathavaṃśena pārthasyāvārayan diśaḥ | tatra rathiyoṃ meṃ śreṣṭhaḥ kṛpācāryaḥ, duryodhanaḥ, aśvatthāmā, śalyaḥ, kāmbojarājaḥ sudakṣiṇaḥ, avantīke rājakumārau vinda-anūvindaḥ tathā bāhnalīkadeśīyaiḥ sainikaiḥ saha rājā bāhnīkaḥ—ete sarve rathināṃ viśālāṃ senāṃ sārdhaṃ kṛtvā tena pārthasya samantād diśaḥ, sarvān mārgaṃś ca rurodhuḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Với một đội chiến xa hùng hậu, họ chặn mọi hướng của Arjuna. Tại đó, những dũng tướng chiến xa bậc nhất—Kṛpācārya, Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā, Śalya, Sudakṣiṇa vua xứ Kāmboja, hai vương tử Avanti là Vinda và Anuvinda, cùng vua Bāhnīka với binh sĩ đất Bāhlīka—hợp thành một đạo chiến xa lớn, phong tỏa mọi lối đi quanh Pārtha.

Word by Word

• महता: by/with a great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रथवंशेन: by/with a chariot-line (array of chariots)
• रथवंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• आवारयन्: they blocked/obstructed
• आवारयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √वृ (वरणे)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• दिशः: directions/ways
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)
• Duryodhana
• Aśvatthāmā
• Śalya
• Sudakṣiṇa (Kāmboja king)
• Kāmboja
• Vinda
• Anuvinda
• Avanti
• Bāhnīka (king)
• Bāhlīka/Bāhnalīka (land/people)
• chariots
• chariot-warriors
• army/host
• routes/paths

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how dharma in war is tested not only by personal courage but also by strategic pressure: many renowned warriors combine forces to restrain one opponent, showing the ethical tension between collective necessity in battle and the ideal of fair, heroic combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that leading Kaurava-aligned chariot-warriors—Kṛpa, Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā, Śalya, Sudakṣiṇa, Vinda, Anuvinda, and Bāhnīka with Bāhlīka troops—assemble a large chariot contingent and block all approaches around Arjuna, effectively hemming him in.