Shloka 59

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

ग्रसन्‍तमिव चेतांसि तावकानां महाहवे । दृष्टवा माधवमाक्रन्दे भीष्मायोद्यतमन्तिके

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | grasann iva cetāṃsi tāvakānāṃ mahāhave | dṛṣṭvā mādhavam ākrande bhīṣmāya udyatam antike |

Translation

三阇耶说：在那场大战中，摩陀婆仿佛要吞噬你方将士的心神。及至他们在喧嚣混战之中看见摩陀婆逼近，且在毗湿摩近前举意欲杀之时，因惧婆苏提婆，四面八方顿起巨大的骚动与呼喊：“毗湿摩已被杀！毗湿摩已被杀！”

Word by Word

• ग्रसन्तम्: devouring, swallowing
• ग्रसन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• चेतांसि: minds, consciousnesses
• चेतांसि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तावकानाम्: of yours (your people)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव/gerund), absolutive (having seen)

• माधवम्: Mādhava (Krishna)
• माधवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आक्रन्दे: in the tumult/crying, in the uproar
• आक्रन्दे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्रन्द
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीष्माय: for Bhīṣma (towards Bhīṣma)
• भीष्माय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• उद्यतम्: ready, intent, raised/prepared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अन्तिके: near, in proximity
• अन्तिके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tāvakānām')
• Mādhava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa / Vāsudeva)
• Bhīṣma
• Kaurava army (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the presence and resolve of a divinely guided leader can overwhelm an opposing force psychologically: fear, rumor, and collapsing morale can decide outcomes as much as weapons. Ethically, it also points to the tension between vows and dharma in war—Bhīṣma’s near-invincibility and Kṛṣṇa’s readiness to intervene underscore that protecting righteousness may demand extraordinary resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that during the fierce fighting, Kṛṣṇa (Mādhava/Vāsudeva) moved close, appearing ready to strike down Bhīṣma. Seeing this, the Kaurava side panicked; a loud commotion spread with people crying that Bhīṣma had been killed, even before it had actually happened.