Shloka 186

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

दुःशासनो महेष्वासो वारयामास संयुगे | महाराज! दसों दिशाओंको प्रकाशित करते हुए वेगशाली वीर अर्जुन युद्धमें शिखण्डीको आगे करके भीष्मको मारना चाहते थे। उस समय महाधनुर्धर दुःशासनने युद्धके मैदानमें आकर उन्हें रोका

Transliteration

duḥśāsano maheṣvāso vārayāmāsa saṃyuge | mahārāja! daśo diśāḥ prakāśayann iva vegavān vīro 'rjunaḥ yuddhe śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya bhīṣmaṃ hantum aicchat | tadā mahādhanurdharo duḥśāsano raṇāṅgaṇam āgatya taṃ nyavārayat |

Translation

桑迦耶说道：“大王啊，迅捷的英雄阿周那仿佛照耀十方，在战阵中欲以尸迦ṇḍī为前锋，击倒毗湿摩。就在那时，强弓善射的杜沙萨那踏入战场，拦住了他。”

Word by Word

• दुःशासनः: Duhshasana
• दुःशासनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महेष्वासः: great archer (lit. having a great bow)
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वारयामास: stopped / restrained
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (√वृ, caus.)
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), Third, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Duhshasana
• Arjuna
• Shikhandi
• Bhishma
• battlefield (raṇāṅgaṇa/saṃyuga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical strain within dharma-yuddha: even when the goal is to end a formidable elder-warrior like Bhishma, victory is pursued through tactical arrangements (placing Shikhandi before him) and met by immediate resistance. It invites reflection on how duty, strategy, and moral ambiguity intersect in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna advances with great force, intending to bring down Bhishma while using Shikhandi as the forward screen. Duhshasana enters the fray and blocks Arjuna’s attempt, momentarily preventing the decisive strike.