Shloka 26

Adhyāya 108 — Nimitta-darśana and Drona’s counsel amid Arjuna’s advance (निमित्तदर्शनं द्रोणोपदेशश्च)

Devanagari script

छादित: पापडवै: शूरै: समन्ताद भरतर्षभ । “भरतश्रेष्ठ! ये शूरवीरोंका नाश करनेवाले महाधनुर्थर शौर्यसम्पन्न भीष्म पराक्रमी पाण्डवोंद्वारा चारों ओरसे घेर लिये गये हैं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | chāditaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ śūraiḥ samantād bharatarṣabha | eṣa pāṇḍusuto jyeṣṭho yamābhyāṃ sahito raṇe tvaṃ hi saṃśrūyase 'tyartham asahyabalavikramaḥ | mahābāho! ye jyeṣṭhaḥ pāṇḍuputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ nakula-sahadevau ca sārdhaṃ kṛtvā raṇabhūmau yuṣmākaṃ paśyatāṃ mama senāṃ khādayanti (kṣādayanti) | prabho! mahābāho! yathā taṭaprāntaḥ samudraṃ nātivartayati, tathā tvam api yudhiṣṭhiram agrato nivāraya; tava hi balavikramaḥ atyantam asahya iti śrūyate ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Hỡi bậc tráng kiện nhất trong dòng Bharata, các dũng sĩ Pāṇḍava hùng mạnh đã vây Bhīṣma bốn phía—Bhīṣma, đại cung thủ, giàu dũng lực, kẻ diệt trừ các chiến binh. Kìa, trưởng tử của Pāṇḍu là Yudhiṣṭhira đang tiến vào trận cùng hai con song sinh của Mādrī (Nakula và Sahadeva). Ngay trước mắt các ngài, ông ấy đang xua quân ta phải lùi. Tâu chúa công, bậc tay mạnh—như bờ bãi ngăn biển khỏi tràn lên, xin ngài cũng hãy chặn bước tiến của Yudhiṣṭhira; bởi sức mạnh và uy dũng của ngài được truyền rằng thật không ai kháng nổi.”

Word by Word

• छादितः: covered, concealed
• छादितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छादित (√छद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पापडवैः: by the Pāpaḍavas (name/epithet; uncertain reading)
• पापडवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापडव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शूरैः: by heroes
• शूरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• समन्तात्: on all sides, all around
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात्
• Form: true

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• भरतर्षभ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डुसुतः: son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुसुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु-सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठः: eldest
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यमाभ्याम्: with the two Yamas (i.e., Nakula and Sahadeva; dual)
• यमाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• सहितः: accompanied (by)
• सहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि
• Form: true

• संश्रूयसे: you are heard of / reputed
• संश्रूयसे: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√श्रु (संश्रूयते)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/Impersonal sense (you are heard/reputed)

• इति: thus
• इति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति
• Form: true

• अर्थम्: meaning, purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असह्यबलविक्रमः: one whose strength and valor are unbearable
• असह्यबलविक्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असह्य-बल-विक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍavas
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Bharatas (Kuru lineage)
• battlefield (raṇabhūmi)
• army (senā)
• shoreline/sea simile (taṭa/samudra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, leadership is framed as restraint and responsibility: the commander is urged to ‘hold back’ an advancing force, using power not merely to strike but to prevent collapse and protect one’s side—an application of kṣatriya-dharma and strategic self-control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma is being surrounded by Pāṇḍava warriors, while Yudhiṣṭhira advances with Nakula and Sahadeva and drives back the Kaurava troops. Sañjaya urges a powerful ally/commander to stop Yudhiṣṭhira, comparing that restraint to a shoreline checking the sea.