Shloka 10

भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception

Devanagari script

सो$तिविद्धो महाराज शोणितौघपरिप्लुत: । वसन्ते पुष्पशबलो रक्ताशोक इवाबभौ

Transliteration

so ’tividdho mahārāja śoṇitaughapariplutaḥ | vasante puṣpaśabalo raktāśoka ivābabhau ||

Translation

三阇耶说：“大王啊，他被箭矢贯穿，浸没在奔涌的血流之中，竟如春日里殷红的阿输迦树——繁花斑斓。”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिविद्धः: pierced through; severely wounded
• अतिविद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिविद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः: flooded/covered by a stream of blood
• शोणितौघपरिप्लुतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोणितौघपरिप्लुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसन्ते: in spring
• वसन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पुष्पशबलः: variegated with flowers
• पुष्पशबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पशबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रक्ताशोकः: a red Aśoka tree
• रक्ताशोकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्ताशोक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like; as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अबभौ: shone; appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Aśoka tree (raktāśoka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension of war: even when courage appears radiant, it is inseparable from pain and bloodshed. The poetic beauty of the simile does not glorify violence so much as reveal its tragic cost.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior who has been grievously pierced and is soaked in blood; yet, in appearance he seems like a red Aśoka tree in spring, covered with blossoms—an image for a body marked by wounds and blood.