Shloka 20

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

कथं चातिरथस्तेन पाञज्चाल्येन शिखण्डिना । भीष्मो विनिहतो युद्धे देवेरपि दुरासद:,भीष्म तो युद्धमें देवताओंके लिये भी दुर्जय एवं अतिरथी थे, फिर पांचालराजकुमार शिखण्डीके हाथसे वे किस प्रकार मारे गये?

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |

kathaṃ cātirathas tena pāñcālyena śikhaṇḍinā |

bhīṣmo vinihato yuddhe devair api durāsadaḥ ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra nói: “Làm sao Bhīṣma—một atiratha, đáng sợ trong chiến trận, đến cả chư thiên cũng khó bề khuất phục—lại bị vị vương tử xứ Pāñcāla là Śikhaṇḍin giết trong chiến tranh? (Hãy nói cho ta cách thức và nguyên do khiến một chiến binh tưởng như bất khả chiến bại ấy phải ngã xuống.)”

Word by Word

कथम्how?

चand

अतिरथःa great chariot-warrior (atiratha)

तेनby him

पाञ्चाल्येनby the Panchala (warrior/prince)

शिखण्डिनाby Shikhandin

भीष्मःBhishma

विनिहतःslain

युद्धेin battle

देवैःby the gods

अपिeven/also

दुरासदःhard to approach/assail; invincible

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bhīṣma

Śikhaṇḍin (Śikhaṇḍī)

Pāñcāla

Devas (gods)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata theme: even the mightiest warrior can fall when bound by vows, ethical constraints, and destiny. Power alone does not determine outcomes; dharma, personal commitments, and strategic circumstances shape victory and defeat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing of Bhīṣma’s fall, expresses astonishment and asks Sañjaya to explain how Bhīṣma—renowned as nearly invincible—could be slain, specifically through the agency of the Pāñcāla warrior Śikhaṇḍī.