Shloka 8

भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः

Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas

Devanagari script

अभीषाहा: शूरसेना: शिवयो5थ वसातय: । संग्रामे नाजहुर्भीष्मं वध्यमाना: शितै: शरै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ | saṅgrāme nājahur bhīṣmaṃ vadhyamānāḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ |

Translation

三阇耶说道：阿毗沙诃、首罗娑那、尸毗与婆娑底的战士们——纵被锐箭射倒——仍不在战场上弃毗湿摩而去。他们的坚忍映照出俱卢军对统帅的忠诚，也映照出武士之道：宁受创痛，不因恐惧而溃散。

Word by Word

• अभीषाहाः: the Abhishahas (people/warriors of Abhishaha)
• अभीषाहाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीषाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शूरसेनाः: the Shurasenas
• शूरसेनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शिबयः: the Shibis
• शिबयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वसातयः: the Vasatis (people/warriors of Vasati)
• वसातयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अजहुः: they abandoned/left
• Type: Verb
• Root: हā (धातु: हा/जहाति)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• वध्यमानाः: being struck/being slain (i.e., while being attacked)
• वध्यमानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्यमान (कृदन्त; √वध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Present passive participle

• शितैः: with sharp
• शितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Abhīṣāhas
• Śūrasenas
• Śibis
• Vasātis
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and loyalty in the face of danger: even when wounded by sharp arrows, warriors uphold their duty to stand by their commander. It reflects the martial ethic (kṣatriya-dharma) of not deserting one’s post out of fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that several allied peoples fighting for the Kauravas—Abhīṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis, and Vasātis—remain in the fight and do not flee or leave Bhīṣma, despite being heavily attacked by the enemy’s arrows.