Shloka 42

Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)

Devanagari script

तथैव तावका: सर्वे पुरस्कृत्य यतव्रतम्‌ । शिखण्डिप्रमुखान्‌ पार्थान्‌ योधयन्ति सम संयुगे

Transliteration

tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve puraskṛtya yatavratam | śikhaṇḍipramukhān pārthān yodhayanti samaṃ yuge ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Cũng vậy, toàn bộ chiến binh của ngài đặt Bhīṣma—người giữ lời thệ nguyện nghiêm khắc—ở tuyến đầu, rồi giao chiến ngang sức với các dũng tướng Pāṇḍava do Śikhaṇḍin dẫn đầu.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• तावकाः: your (men), your side's
• तावकाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front; having put forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• यतव्रतम्: one of restrained vow; vow-observant
• यतव्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत-व्रत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शिखण्डि-प्रमुखान्: having Śikhaṇḍin as foremost; led by Śikhaṇḍin
• शिखण्डि-प्रमुखान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिखण्डि-प्रमुख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पार्थान्: the sons of Pṛthā (Pāṇḍavas)
• पार्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• योधयन्ति: they fight (against); they engage in battle
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• समे: in equal/level (battle); in fair combat
• समे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• संयुगे: in battle, in combat
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by ‘your’)
• Bhīṣma
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Pārthas (Pāṇḍavas)
• Kauravas (Tāvakāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how personal discipline and vows (vrata)—exemplified by Bhīṣma—become sources of authority and morale in war, yet remain entangled with ethical complexity: revered virtue is deployed as an instrument within a violent conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava forces advance with Bhīṣma at their head and engage the Pāṇḍava side, especially the warriors led by Śikhaṇḍin, in a direct and evenly matched confrontation on the battlefield.