Shloka 38

Bhīṣma’s Fall, the Arrow-bed (śara-talpa), and the Establishment of Guard

Devanagari script

उपेन्द्रसदूश: श्यामो महाशाल इवोद्गत: । एष गच्छत्यनीकाग्रे द्वितीय इव फाल्गुन:

Transliteration

upendrasadṛśaḥ śyāmo mahāśāla ivodgataḥ | eṣa gacchaty anīkāgre dvitīya iva phālgunaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“看那阿毗曼纽——肤色幽黑如优宾陀罗（毗湿奴），身形挺拔如巨大的娑罗树。他正行于战阵最前锋，宛如第二个阿周那。”

Word by Word

• उपेन्द्र-सदृशः: like Upendra (Vishnu)
• उपेन्द्र-सदृशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपेन्द्र + सदृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्यामः: dark-complexioned
• श्यामः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाशालः: a great śāla-tree (lofty, huge like a śāla)
• महाशालः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाशाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उद्गतः: risen/lofted up
• उद्गतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + गम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गच्छति: goes/proceeds
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अनीक-अग्रे: at the front of the army
• अनीक-अग्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक + अग्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• द्वितीयः: a second (another like)
• द्वितीयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• फाल्गुनः: Phālguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Upendra (Viṣṇu)
• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• śāla tree
• anīka (battle-array/army front)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the dharmic ideal of courageous leadership: a warrior who accepts responsibility and advances first for the sake of his side, combining strength with steadfast resolve in a righteous struggle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Abhimanyu, compared to Viṣṇu in complexion and to a tall śāla tree in stature, is marching at the very front of the formation, appearing like a second Arjuna.