Shloka 426

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

धनंजयरथं शीघ्रं शरवर्षरवाकिरत्‌ | तब बारंबार सिंहनाद करते हुए कुरुश्रेष्ठ भीष्मने धनंजयके रथपर शीघ्र ही बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | dhanañjaya-rathaṁ śīghraṁ śara-varṣa-ravākirat | tataḥ bāraṁbāraṁ siṁha-nādaṁ kurvan kuru-śreṣṭho bhīṣmaḥ dhanañjayasya rathe śīghram eva bāṇānāṁ varṣam ārabdhavān |

Translation

三阇耶说道：毗湿摩，库鲁族中最卓越者，屡屡如狮吼般长啸，旋即以轰鸣如雷的箭雨迅疾覆盖檀那阇耶的战车。鏖战之中，这位长者不息的攻势显出刹帝利战争冷峻的准则——不屈的意志与精湛的武艺皆为胜利而发，即便面对无双的对手亦然。

Word by Word

• धनंजय: Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजय: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• शर: of arrows
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वर्ष: with a shower (rain)
• वर्ष: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रव: with a roar/sound
• रव: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आकिरत्: he showered/covered (with arrows)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कृ
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• Bhishma
• Kuru (lineage/people)
• chariot (ratha)
• arrows (śara/bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: steadfastness, disciplined aggression, and strategic skill in battle. Even revered elders like Bhishma act without hesitation when duty and allegiance demand it, illustrating how personal affection is subordinated to the obligations of one’s role in wartime.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Bhishma repeatedly giving a lion-like battle cry and unleashing a rapid, loud barrage of arrows that blankets Arjuna’s chariot, signaling an intense escalation in their confrontation on the battlefield.