Shloka 16

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

निशम्य सर्वभूतानि समकम्पन्त भारत | अमोघा हापतन्‌ बाणा: पितुस्ते भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

niśamya sarvabhūtāni samakampanta bhārata |

amoghāḥ pāpatan bāṇāḥ pitus te bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“婆罗多啊，闻其声，众生皆战栗。婆罗多族中的雄牛啊，你那位尊长所射之箭，从不虚落。”

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु: शम्/शमुँ)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-अर्थे), कर्तरि, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (absolutive)

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• समकम्पन्त: trembled
• समकम्पन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-कम्प्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Plural

• भारत: O Bharata
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अमोघाः: unfailing
• अमोघाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमोघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपतन्: fell / flew (down/onto)
• अपतन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Plural

• बाणाः: arrows
• बाणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पितुः: of the father
• पितुः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Second, Genitive, Singular

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• भरतर्षभ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra (implied by vocatives bhārata, bharatarṣabha)
• Bhishma (implied by 'pituḥ te' as grandsire/elder)
• Arrows (bāṇāḥ)
• All beings/creatures (sarvabhūtāni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of martial excellence in a dharma-war: power used with unwavering effectiveness inspires awe and fear, reminding rulers that the consequences of war extend beyond armies to all living beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that the sound and impact of Bhishma’s warfare causes universal trembling, and that Bhishma’s arrows are unfailing—emphasizing his dominance on the battlefield.