Shloka 42

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

आजघान महाबाहु: पार्षतं त॑ं महारथम्‌ । त॑ चैव पार्षतो राजन हार्दिक्यं नवभि: शरै:

Transliteration

ājaghāna mahābāhuḥ pārṣataṃ taṃ mahāratham | taṃ caiva pārṣato rājan hārdikyaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Vị dũng sĩ tay mạnh ấy đánh trúng đại xa chiến, con của Pṛṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna). Và đáp lại, tâu Đại vương, con của Pṛṣata cũng bắn Hārdikya (Kṛtavarman) chín mũi tên.

Word by Word

• आजघान: struck, smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (√हन्)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed (one)
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पार्षतम्: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

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

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

• पार्षतः: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• हार्दिक्यम्: the son of Hrdika (Kritavarman)
• हार्दिक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार्दिक्य
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• नवभिः: with nine
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन्
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata, son of Pṛṣata)
• Kṛtavarman (Hārdikya)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma: warriors meet aggression with disciplined counteraction, maintaining courage and resolve even amid escalating violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s report to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, a mighty-armed warrior strikes Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Dhṛṣṭadyumna immediately retaliates by piercing Kṛtavarman (Hārdikya) with nine arrows, showing rapid exchange between leading fighters.