Shloka 24

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

विराटो दशभिर्भल्लैराजघान परंतप । यतमान महेष्वासं द्रौणिमाहवशोभिनम्‌

Transliteration

virāṭo daśabhir bhallair ājaghāna parantapa | yatamāna maheṣvāsaṃ drauṇim āhavaśobhinam ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：毗罗吒，这位灼敌者，以十支锋利的“婆罗”箭射中德罗那之子阿湿婆他摩——那位奋力鏖战、使战场生辉的大弓手。

Word by Word

• विराटः: Virata
• विराटः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• भल्लैः: arrows (bhallas)
• भल्लैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आजघान: struck/slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यतमानम्: striving/endeavoring
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महेष्वासम्: great bowman
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रौणिम्: Drauni (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहवशोभिनम्: splendid in battle
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहवशोभिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Virāṭa
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman, son of Droṇa)
• bhalla (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the kṣatriya-world ethic that prowess invites counter-prowess: even a celebrated warrior who ‘shines in battle’ must face immediate consequences. Martial glory is portrayed as inseparable from risk, responsibility, and the relentless reciprocity of warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that King Virāṭa hits Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son), a great archer actively striving in the fight, with ten bhalla-arrows, marking a forceful exchange in the ongoing battle.