Shloka 53

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

चेकितानं रणे यत्तं भीष्म प्रति जनेश्वर । चित्रसेनस्तव सुतः क्रुद्धसर्पमवारयत्‌

Transliteration

Cekitānaṃ raṇe yattaṃ Bhīṣmaṃ prati janeśvara | Citrasenas tava sutaḥ kruddha-sarpam avārayat ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“人中王啊，当车吉多那在阵中奋力前逼，欲攻毗湿摩之时，你的儿子质多罗塞那在战场上将他拦住，犹如制伏一条暴怒之蛇。”

Word by Word

• चेकितानम्: Chekitana (as object)
• चेकितानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेकितान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• यत्तम्: striving/engaged, intent (on attack)
• यत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत् (यम् धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma (as object/target)
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards/against
• प्रति: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• जन-ईश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन + ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चित्रसेनः: Chitrasena
• चित्रसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रुद्ध-सर्पम्: an enraged serpent (metaphorically: like an angry snake)
• क्रुद्ध-सर्पम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रुद्ध + सर्प
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवारयत्: checked/stopped/warded off
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• जन-ईश्वर: O lord of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन + ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Cekitāna
• Bhīṣma
• Citrasena
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by the address janeśvara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the chaos of war, dharma appears as disciplined action: protecting one’s leader and maintaining the battle-line can be as crucial as striking blows. The simile of the 'enraged serpent' highlights the need to restrain uncontrolled fury through steadiness and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Cekitāna advances fiercely to attack Bhīṣma. Citrasena, a son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, intercepts and stops him on the battlefield, preventing Cekitāna from reaching Bhīṣma.