Shloka 11

Arjuna–Bhīṣma Strategic Engagement and Mutual Arrow-Interdiction (भीष्मार्जुनसमागमः)

Devanagari script

त॑ श्रुत्वा निनदं तस्य सैन्यास्तव वितत्रसु: । जीमूतस्थेव नदत: शक्राशनिसमस्वनम्‌

Transliteration

taṁ śrutvā ninadaṁ tasya sainyās tava vitatrasuḥ | jīmūtasthā iva nadataḥ śakrāśani-samasvanam ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Nghe tiếng gầm ấy, toàn quân của bệ hạ hoảng loạn. Âm vang như sấm của mây mưa đang cuộn, ghê rợn như tiếng lôi của lưỡi tầm sét Indra.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• निनदम्: roar, loud sound
• निनदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निनद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सैन्याः: armies, troops
• सैन्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तव: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular, Second

• वितत्रसुः: were terrified, trembled
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रस् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• जीमूतस्थ: standing in/like a cloud-mass
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीमूत + स्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• नदतः: of (one) roaring
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शक्राशनिसमस्वनम्: having a sound like Indra's thunderbolt
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र + अशनि + सम + स्वन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Indra (Śakra)
• Indra’s thunderbolt (aśani/vajra)
• Kaurava army (tava sainyāḥ)
• clouds (jīmūta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sound and reputation function as moral-psychological forces in war: a single overwhelming roar can break collective courage, showing that inner steadiness and discipline are as decisive as weapons.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that, upon hearing a mighty lion-like roar from the opposing side, the Kaurava troops were frightened; the sound is compared to the terrifying thunder of rain-clouds and to the crash of Indra’s thunderbolt.