Shloka 1

Adhyāya 111 (Book 6): Daśama-dina-saṃgrāma—Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira and the Śikhaṇḍin-Led Advance

Devanagari script

[दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके ७ ६ “लोक मिलाकर कुल ११४ ६ “लोक हैं।] #<०3८६>> | ब । बी जम अष्टाधिकशततमोब<् ध्याय: दसवें दिन उभयपक्षकी सेनाका रणके लिये प्रस्थान तथा भीष्म और शिखण्डीका समागम 4 शिखण्डीको भीष्मका वध करनेके लिये करना धृतराष्ट उवाच कथं शिखण्डी गाड्रेयमभ्यवर्तत संयुगे । पाण्डवांक्ष कथं भीष्मस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kathaṁ śikhaṇḍī gāṅgeyam abhyavartata saṁyuge | pāṇḍavāṁś ca kathaṁ bhīṣmas tan mamācakṣva sañjaya ||

Translation

持国王说道：“告诉我吧，三阇耶——在激战之中，尸建陀是如何向恒伽之子毗湿摩逼近的？而毗湿摩又如何反过来向般度五子施压进攻？把这一切都为我详述。”

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

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

• गाङ्ग्रेयम्: the son of Gaṅgā (Bhīṣma)
• गाङ्ग्रेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्ग्रेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यवर्तत: attacked, advanced against
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृत्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular, Ātmanepada

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पाण्डवान्: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• भीष्मः: Bhīṣma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मम: to me / of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• आचक्ष्व: tell, relate
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√चक्ष्
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Ātmanepada

• संजय: O Sañjaya
• संजय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Bhīṣma
• Gaṅgā
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic and ethical tension within warfare: the king seeks a precise account of how a pivotal confrontation unfolds, highlighting that actions in battle are not merely tactical but morally charged—especially when renowned elders like Bhīṣma face complex opponents such as Śikhaṇḍī.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of this chapter, Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about the tenth day’s crucial engagement: how Śikhaṇḍī moved to confront Bhīṣma on the battlefield, and how Bhīṣma counterattacked the Pāṇḍava forces.