Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

द्रुपद: पञचविंशत्या विराटो दशभि: शरै: । शिखण्डी पज्चविंशत्या भीष्मं विव्याध सायकै:,द्रपदने पचीस, विराटने दस और शिखण्डीने पचीस सायकोंद्वारा भीष्मको घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | drupadaḥ pañcaviṃśatyā virāṭo daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ | śikhaṇḍī pañcaviṃśatyā bhīṣmaṃ vivyādha sāyakaiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说：德鲁帕陀以二十五箭射伤毗湿摩；毗罗吒以十矢贯穿其身；而尸建陀又以二十五支利箭再度伤及毗湿摩。

Word by Word

• द्रुपदः: Drupada
• द्रुपदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुपद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चविंशत्या: with twenty-five (arrows)
• पञ्चविंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• विराटः: Virata
• विराटः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten (arrows)
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: by arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शिखण्डी: Shikhandi
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चविंशत्या: with twenty-five (arrows)
• पञ्चविंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सायकैः: by arrows
• सायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Drupada
• Virāṭa
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Bhīṣma
• arrows (śara/sāyaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most venerable figures are subject to the impersonal force of dharma-driven conflict: in war, duty and strategy can compel attacks upon elders, highlighting the tension between reverence and kṣatriya obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Drupada, Virāṭa, and Śikhaṇḍī simultaneously strike Bhīṣma with specified numbers of arrows, intensifying the assault that contributes to Bhīṣma’s eventual downfall.