Shloka 36

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

यततां सर्वसैन्यानां मूलं न: परिकृन्तति । त्वयि जीवति गाड्गेय द्रोणे च रथिनां वरे,“तात! ये पाण्डुके बलवान पुत्र अर्जुन श्रीकृष्णके साथ आकर समस्त सैन्योंके प्रयत्नशील होनेपर भी हमलोगोंका मूलोच्छेद कर रहे हैं। गंगानन्दन! आपके तथा रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ द्रोणाचार्यके जीते-जी हमारे सैनिक मारे जा रहे हैं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

yatatāṃ sarvasainyānāṃ mūlaṃ naḥ parikṛntati |

tvayi jīvati gāṅgeya droṇe ca rathināṃ vare ||

Translation

Sanjaya nói: “Dẫu toàn quân ta đều gắng sức hết mình, hắn vẫn đang chặt đứt tận gốc rễ đạo quân của ta. Hỡi con sông Hằng (Bhishma), ngay khi ngài còn sống—và Drona, bậc nhất trong hàng chiến xa, cũng còn sống—binh sĩ của ta vẫn bị giết.”

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sanjaya said', 'yatatām': 'of those striving

• exerting themselves (gen. pl. of yatat)', 'sarva-sainyānām': 'of all the armies/forces', 'mūlam': 'root

• base (i.e., the core strength)', 'naḥ': 'our

• of us', 'parikṛntati': 'cuts down

• destroys at the root', 'tvayi jīvati': 'while you are alive

• even with you living', 'gāṅgeya': 'son of the Ganga (Bhishma)', 'droṇe ca': 'and (while) Drona (is alive/present)', 'rathinām': 'of chariot-warriors', 'vare': 'best

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhishma (Gāṅgeya)
• Drona
• Arjuna
• Krishna
• Kaurava army
• Pandava side

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mere reputation, seniority, or numerical strength cannot guarantee victory; when resolve, skill, and righteous momentum (here embodied by Arjuna supported by Krishna) converge, even a mighty army’s ‘root’ can be shaken. The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: celebrated elders remain, yet the side’s confidence collapses as destruction mounts.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to the Kaurava court that Arjuna, arriving with Krishna, is devastating their forces despite the Kauravas’ strenuous resistance. He expresses astonishment that this is occurring even while Bhishma and Drona—pillars of the Kaurava command—are still alive and leading.