Shloka 36

Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)

Devanagari script

त॑ भीम: समरश्लाघी गुरुं पितृसमं रणे | विव्याध पञ्चभिर्भल्लैस्तथा षष्ट्या च भारत

Transliteration

taṁ bhīmaḥ samarāślāghī guruṁ pitṛ-samaṁ raṇe | vivyādha pañcabhir bhallais tathā ṣaṣṭyā ca bhārata | ekaikaṁ tribhir ānarccchat kaḍuka-barhiṇa-vājitaiḥ | tataḥ suśarmāṇaṁ ca kṛpācāryaṁ ca tribhis tribhir viddhvā | prāgjyotiṣa-nareśaṁ bhagadattaṁ sindhu-rājaṁ jayadrathaṁ citrasenaṁ vikarṇaṁ kṛtavarmāṇaṁ durmiṣaṇaṁ tathā | mahārathī vindānuvindau ca—eteṣāṁ pratyekaṁ gṛdhra-pakṣa-yuktaiḥ tribhis tribhir bāṇaiḥ viśeṣa-pīḍām akarot ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：毗摩以战功自矜，在阵中以锋利的“婆罗”箭射向其师德罗那——如父般当受敬奉者——先以五箭，又以六十箭，使之负伤。随后他又点名诸敌，各以三箭射之，箭羽如秃鹫之翮，令其痛楚难当；并同样以三箭各自伤及苏舍尔摩与师长克利帕。于是，在战场之上，毗摩塞那竟重创德罗那阿阇梨——那位本应以孝敬之心礼拜的导师——然而战争的逼迫，使他不得不如此交锋。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समर-श्लाघी: glorying in battle
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समरश्लाघिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुम्: the teacher (Drona)
• गुरुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पितृ-समम्: equal to a father
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृसम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• षष्ट्या: with sixty
• षष्ट्या: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: षष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• एकैकम्: each one (individually)
• एकैकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकैक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• आनर्च्छत्: struck/caused to reach (hit)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, आ

• कडुक-बर्हिण-वाजितैः: with arrows furnished with vulture-feathers (as fletching)
• कडुक-बर्हिण-वाजितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कडुकबर्हिणवाजित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Suśarmā
• Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)
• Bhagadatta (king of Prāgjyotiṣa)
• Prāgjyotiṣa
• Jayadratha (Sindhu king)
• Sindhu
• Citrasena
• Vikarṇa
• Kṛtavarmā
• Durmiṣaṇa
• Vinda
• Anuvinda
• bhalla arrows
• bāṇa (arrows) with vulture-feather fletching

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical strain of kṣatriya-dharma: even a guru revered like a father may become an opponent in war. Reverence does not erase duty, yet the narrative invites reflection on how violence, obligation, and respect collide in extreme circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s battlefield assault: he pierces Droṇa with many bhalla arrows and then strikes several named Kaurava-side warriors—each with three vulture-feathered arrows—inflicting sharp pain and demonstrating his dominance in that phase of the fight.