Shloka 426

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

धनंजयरथं शीघ्रं शरवर्षरवाकिरत्‌ | तब बारंबार सिंहनाद करते हुए कुरुश्रेष्ठ भीष्मने धनंजयके रथपर शीघ्र ही बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | dhanañjaya-rathaṁ śīghraṁ śara-varṣa-ravākirat | tataḥ bāraṁbāraṁ siṁha-nādaṁ kurvan kuru-śreṣṭho bhīṣmaḥ dhanañjayasya rathe śīghram eva bāṇānāṁ varṣam ārabdhavān |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Bhīṣma, bậc nhất trong hàng Kuru, nhiều lần gầm vang như sư tử, liền mau chóng trút xuống chiến xa của Dhananjaya một cơn mưa tên rền như sấm, phủ kín cả cỗ xe. Trong lửa trận, đòn đánh không ngơi của bậc lão tướng phơi bày đạo lý nghiêm khắc của chiến tranh kṣatriya: ý chí không khuất phục và nghệ thuật binh khí, hướng thẳng tới chiến thắng—even khi đối diện một đối thủ vô song.

Word by Word

• धनंजय: Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजय: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• शर: of arrows
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वर्ष: with a shower (rain)
• वर्ष: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रव: with a roar/sound
• रव: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आकिरत्: he showered/covered (with arrows)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कृ
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• Bhishma
• Kuru (lineage/people)
• chariot (ratha)
• arrows (śara/bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: steadfastness, disciplined aggression, and strategic skill in battle. Even revered elders like Bhishma act without hesitation when duty and allegiance demand it, illustrating how personal affection is subordinated to the obligations of one’s role in wartime.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Bhishma repeatedly giving a lion-like battle cry and unleashing a rapid, loud barrage of arrows that blankets Arjuna’s chariot, signaling an intense escalation in their confrontation on the battlefield.