Shloka 156

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

भीमसेनस्य दुर्धर्ष प्रथमं प्रादिशद्‌ बलम्‌ । पाण्डुपुत्र युधिष्ठिरने द्रौपदीके महाधनुर्धर पुत्र

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

bhīmasenasya durdharṣaḥ prathamaṃ prādiśad balam |

pāṇḍuputra-yudhiṣṭhireṇa draupadyāḥ mahādhanuḥdhara-putrāḥ, abhimanyuḥ, nakulaḥ, sahadevaḥ, samasta-prabhadraka-vīrāḥ, daśa-sahasraṃ aśvārūḍhāḥ, dve-sahasre gajārūḍhāḥ, daśa-sahasraṃ padātayaḥ tathā pañca-śatā rathinaḥ—eteṣāṃ prathamaṃ durdharṣa-dalaṃ bhīmasenasya adhyakṣatve nyastaṃ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Yudhiṣṭhira, con của Pāṇḍu, trước hết giao cho Bhīmasena một đạo tiên phong kiên cố, khó bề công phá. Trong cánh quân đầu tiên ấy, ông đặt các dũng cung thủ là những con trai của Draupadī, cùng Abhimanyu, Nakula, Sahadeva, toàn thể các chiến sĩ Prabhadraka, mười nghìn kỵ binh, hai nghìn tượng binh, mười nghìn bộ binh và năm trăm chiến xa—trao quyền chỉ huy tất cả cho Bhīma.

Word by Word

• भीमसेनस्य: of Bhimasena
• भीमसेनस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दुर्धर्ष: hard-to-assail (invincible)
• दुर्धर्ष: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रादिशत्: assigned / allotted
• प्रादिशत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दिश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बलम्: force, army
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Draupadī
• sons of Draupadī (Upapāṇḍavas)
• Abhimanyu
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Prabhadraka warriors
• cavalry (horsemen)
• elephant corps (elephant-riders)
• infantry (foot-soldiers)
• chariot-warriors

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharmic leadership: assigning responsibility according to capability, placing the most steadfast warriors under a proven commander, and organizing collective strength with accountability rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the war preparations, Yudhiṣṭhira forms the first formidable division of the Pāṇḍava forces—comprising Draupadī’s sons, Abhimanyu, Nakula, Sahadeva, the Prabhadrakas, and specified numbers of cavalry, elephants, infantry, and charioteers—and entrusts its command to Bhīma.