Mahabharata 6.13.11 — Bhishma Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 11

Dvīpa–Sāgara–Parvata Varṇana and Svarbhānu

Rāhu) Graha-pramāṇa (Dvīpas, Oceans, Mountains, and Astral Measures

Devanagari script

परिरक्ष्य स सेनां ते दशरात्रमनीकहा । जगामास्तमिवादित्य: कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्‌

Transliteration

parirakṣya sa senāṁ te daśarātram anīkahā | jagāmāstam ivādityaḥ kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Sau khi che chở quân đội của ngài suốt mười đêm, Bhīṣma—kẻ diệt các đạo quân thù—khi đã hoàn thành một chiến công khó bề gánh nổi, liền lặn xuống như mặt trời lúc xế chiều. Câu kệ xem sự ngã xuống của ông không phải là thất bại tầm thường, mà là sự khép lại một bổn phận ghê gớm trong chiến tranh, đánh dấu chấm dứt mười ngày ông làm lá chắn cho lực lượng Kaurava.

Word by Word

• परिरक्ष्य: having protected
• परिरक्ष्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-रक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, non-finite

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सेनाम्: army
• सेनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ते: your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• दशरात्रम्: for ten nights (ten days)
• दशरात्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरात्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनीकहा: the slayer of armies (Bhishma)
• अनीकहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीकह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: लिट् (perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्तम्: to setting (to the west)
• अस्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आदित्यः: the sun
• आदित्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, non-finite

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सुदुष्करम्: very difficult (to do)
• सुदुष्करम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदुष्कर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Kaurava army (your army)
• Āditya (the Sun)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty and the transience of worldly power: even the mightiest warrior, after fulfilling a hard obligation, must 'set' like the sun—suggesting that prowess is bounded by time, destiny, and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma guarded the Kaurava forces for ten days of battle and then fell/withdrew from the fight, compared to the sun going to its setting after completing its course.