Shloka 54

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

भीष्महेतो: पराक्रान्तश्रित्रसेन: पराक्रमी । चेकितानं परं शक्‍त्या योधयामास भारत

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

bhīṣmahetoḥ parākrāntaś citrasenaḥ parākramī |

cekitānaṃ paraṃ śaktyā yodhayāmāsa bhārata ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“为毗湿摩之故，英勇的质多罗塞那——本亦强大战士——以大威势挺身而进。噫，婆罗多啊，他倾尽全力与车吉多那交战；于是两位勇士在阵中相逢，激起一场惨烈的厮杀。”

Word by Word

• भीष्महेतोः: for Bhīṣma's sake / for the cause of Bhīṣma
• भीष्महेतोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म-हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पराक्रान्तः: having advanced; having charged forth
• पराक्रान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• पराक्रमी: valiant, mighty
• पराक्रमी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रमी
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चेकितानम्: Cekitāna
• चेकितानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेकितान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: greatly; exceedingly (lit. 'the utmost')
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शक्त्या: with (his) power/strength
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• योधयामास: made (him) fight; fought (with)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (योधयति, caus.)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), 3rd, Singular

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Citrāsena
• Cekitāna
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma expressed as steadfast loyalty and protective duty: a warrior exerts his full strength to defend his leader (Bhīṣma), showing commitment to one’s chosen obligation even amid peril.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Citrāsena, fighting on Bhīṣma’s behalf, attacks and engages Cekitāna with full force, leading to an intense duel between the two warriors on the battlefield.