Shloka 59

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य भीष्म विव्याध संयुगे | इस प्रकार दुःशासन और भीष्ममें जब बातचीत हो रही थी, उसी समय अर्जुनने अपने तीखे बाणोंद्वारा युद्धस्थलमें शिखण्डीको आगे करके भीष्मको क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया ।।

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya bhīṣmaṃ vivyādha saṃyuge | tato duḥśāsanaṃ bhūyaḥ smayamāna ivābravīt ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Đặt Śikhaṇḍin ở phía trước, Arjuna liên tiếp bắn xuyên Bhīṣma giữa chiến địa. Rồi Duḥśāsana, như thể đang mỉm cười, lại cất lời lần nữa.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin (as object)
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / having put forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having done)

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma (as object)
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced / struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• दुःशासनम्: Duhshasana (as object)
• दुःशासनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूयः: again / further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः

• स्मयमानः: smiling
• स्मयमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि (स्मयते)
• Form: शानच् (present participle, Ātmanepada), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अब्रवीत्: said / spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Arjuna
• Bhīṣma
• Duḥśāsana
• Kurukṣetra (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how dharma in war is shaped by vows and constraints: Bhīṣma’s personal code (refusing to fight Śikhaṇḍin) becomes the decisive ethical-psychological condition that others exploit, showing how adherence to a vow can determine outcomes even against unmatched strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna advances with Śikhaṇḍin positioned in front and showers Bhīṣma with arrows, wounding him severely. Immediately after this, Duḥśāsana resumes speaking, apparently with a smile, continuing the Kaurava-side commentary amid the unfolding crisis.