Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, Shloka 30

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६६: तुमुलसंग्रामवर्णनम्

The Tumult of Battle Described

Devanagari script

अन्वागतं वृष्णिवरं निशम्य त॑ं शत्रुमध्ये परिवर्तमानम्‌ | प्रद्रावयन्तं कुरुपुज्वांश्व पुनः पुनश्च प्रणदन्‍तमाजौ

Transliteration

anvāgataṁ vṛṣṇivaraṁ niśamya taṁ śatrumadhye parivartamānam | pradrāvayantaṁ kurupūjvānś ca punaḥ punaś ca praṇadantam ājau |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Nghe rằng Sātyaki, dũng tướng bậc nhất của dòng Vṛṣṇi, đã đến và đang xoay chuyển giữa hàng ngũ địch, liên tiếp xua đuổi những chiến binh chủ chốt của quân Kuru và gầm vang hết lần này đến lần khác trên chiến địa, các chiến sĩ của ngài liền trút mưa tên lên chàng như mây mưa đổ dòng nước xuống núi. Nhưng dẫu vậy, họ vẫn không sao ngăn được chàng—chàng đứng hiên ngang, không bị kìm hãm, như mặt trời trưa rực cháy.

Word by Word

• अन्वागतम्: having come/approached, arrived
• अन्वागतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वागतम् (अनु-आ-गम्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वृष्णिवरम्: the best of the Vṛṣṇis
• वृष्णिवरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णिवर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निशम्य: having heard/learnt
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम्
• Form: Gerund (त्वान्त/ल्यप्)

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शत्रु: among enemies
• शत्रु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Adverb/indeclinable (locative sense)

• परिवर्तमानम्: moving about, roaming
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Present participle (शतृ)

• प्रद्रावयन्तम्: causing to flee, routing
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-द्रावय् (द्रु/द्रव् caus.)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Causative present participle (शतृ)

• कुरुपुङ्गवान्: the foremost Kurus (Kuru heroes)
• कुरुपुङ्गवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुपुङ्गव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: Adverb

• पुनः: again (repeatedly)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: Adverb

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Conjunction

• प्रणदन्तम्: roaring, sounding loudly
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Present participle (शतृ)

• आजौ: in battle
• आजौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आजि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki
• Vṛṣṇis
• Kurus
• battlefield (āja/yuddha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its battlefield dimension: steadfast courage, tactical mobility, and unwavering resolve under overwhelming attack. Ethically, it underscores how personal excellence and determination can remain unshaken even when opposed by many—yet it is framed within the tragic necessity of war rather than as a celebration of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Sātyaki, the foremost Vṛṣṇi warrior, has entered the enemy formation, moves among the opposing ranks, repeatedly drives back leading Kuru fighters, and roars in challenge. The Kaurava side responds by showering him with arrows like torrential rain, but they still cannot stop his advance, likened to the unstoppable midday sun.