Shloka 12

भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception

Devanagari script

सोअन्यत्‌ कार्मुकमादाय भीष्म विव्याध पञ्चभि: । सारथिं च त्रिभिर्बाणै: सुशितै रणमूर्धनि

Transliteration

so 'nyat kārmukam ādāya bhīṣmaṁ vivyādha pañcabhiḥ | sārathiṁ ca tribhir bāṇaiḥ suśitai raṇamūrdhani ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Cầm lấy một cây cung khác, ngay nơi tuyến đầu chiến trận, ông bắn Bhīṣma bằng năm mũi tên sắc bén; và cũng làm bị thương người đánh xe của Bhīṣma bằng ba mũi tên đã mài giũa kỹ.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्यत्: another (one)
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), having taken

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: पञ्चन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with बाणैः understood), Instrumental, Plural

• सारथिम्: charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with बाणैः), Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सुशितैः: well-sharpened
• सुशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + शित
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रणमूर्धनि: at the forefront/crown of battle
• रणमूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रणमूर्धन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• charioteer (sārathi)
• bow (kārmuka)
• arrows (bāṇa)
• battlefront (raṇamūrdhan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim ethical tension of Kurukṣetra: martial excellence and tactical necessity operate within a war where dharma is strained. Even non-royal participants like charioteers are drawn into harm, showing how conflict expands suffering beyond principal combatants.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s battlefield report, a warrior (implied by context) switches to another bow and shoots Bhīṣma with five sharp arrows, then strikes Bhīṣma’s charioteer with three arrows at the very front of the fighting.