Shloka 36

Adhyāya 111 (Book 6): Daśama-dina-saṃgrāma—Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira and the Śikhaṇḍin-Led Advance

Devanagari script

मण्डली भूतमेवास्य नित्यं धनुरदृश्यत । संग्रामे युद्धायमानस्य शक्रचापोपमं महत्‌

Transliteration

maṇḍalī bhūtam evāsya nityaṃ dhanur adṛśyata | saṅgrāme yuddhāyamānasya śakracāpōpamaṃ mahat ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Trên chiến địa, khi ông giao chiến không ngừng nghỉ, cây cung của ông luôn hiện ra như đang quét thành một vòng tròn—rộng lớn và rực sáng như cầu vồng của Indra.

Word by Word

• मण्डली: a circle/round (form)
• मण्डली: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भूतम्: become, having become
• भूतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अदृश्यत: was seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युद्धायमानस्य: of (him) fighting
• युद्धायमानस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युध् (धातु) → युद्धायमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शक्रचापोपमम्: like Indra's bow (rainbow-like)
• शक्रचापोपमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्रचाप-उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra (Śakra)
• Indra’s bow / rainbow (Śakracāpa)
• bow (dhanuḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined concentration and steadfast execution of one’s duty in a righteous role: the warrior’s unwavering focus is portrayed through the continuous, circular motion of the bow, suggesting mastery, control, and sustained effort amid chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant on the battlefield whose bow, in constant motion, appears like a great circle—likened to Indra’s rainbow—emphasizing the speed and continuity of his fighting and the awe it inspires in onlookers.