Shloka 15

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ९६: सौभद्रस्य आक्रमणम्, अलम्बुसस्य प्रतिविधानम्

Abhimanyu’s assault; Alambusa’s counter-engagement

Devanagari script

अनूपाधिपतिश्वैव नील: स्वबलमास्थित: । महता रथवंशेन हैडिम्बं पर्यवारयन्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

anūpādhipatiś caiva nīlaḥ svabalam āsthitaḥ |

mahatā rathavaṁśena haiḍimbaṁ paryavārayan ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Và Nīla, vua xứ Anūpa, hoàn toàn cậy vào sức mình, cùng một khối chiến xa hùng hậu, đã vây quanh Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca) từ mọi phía.” Trong khuôn khổ đạo lý chiến trận, câu này nhấn mạnh kṣātra-dharma: sự phối hợp bao vây một đối thủ đáng gờm, với niềm tin và quyết tâm, khi chiến cuộc siết chặt quanh Ghaṭotkaca—đồng minh của Bhīma.

Word by Word

• अनूपाधिपतिः: the king (lord) of Anūpa
• अनूपाधिपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूप-आधिपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• नीलः: Nīla (proper name)
• नीलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वबलम्: his own strength/force
• स्वबलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having relied on / having taken refuge in
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु) → आस्थित (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महता: with a great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रथवंशेन: with a line/column of chariots (chariot-array)
• रथवंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ-वंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• हैडिम्बम्: the Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca, son of Hiḍimbā)
• हैडिम्बम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैडिम्ब
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्यवारयन्: they surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-आ-वृ (धातु) → पर्यवारयत् (लट्/शतृ-प्रायः, प्रथमा एकवचन/बहुवचन संदर्भानुसार)
• Form: Imperfect (Luṅ) / or Present participial usage in epic style, Third, Plural (contextually)

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nīla (king of Anūpa)
• Anūpa (region/kingdom)
• Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca)
• ratha (chariots)
• rathavaṁśa (chariot-host/array)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣātra-dharma in practice: disciplined, collective effort and strategic coordination in battle. Confidence (svabala-āśraya) is presented as a motivating force, but it is expressed through organized action—surrounding a powerful adversary rather than relying on isolated heroics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Nīla, the ruler of Anūpa, along with a large chariot contingent, encircles Ghaṭotkaca (called Haiḍimba) from all sides, indicating a concentrated attempt to contain or neutralize Bhīma’s formidable ally.