Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

भीष्मो5पि रथियनां श्रेष्ठ: प्रतिजग्राह तां चमूम्‌ । आपततन्ती महाराज वेलामिव महोदधि:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | bhīṣmo 'pi rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pratijagrāha tāṃ camūm | āpatatantīṃ mahārāja velām iva mahodadhiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“大王，毗湿摩亦然——他是车战勇士之最——面对那为战而奔涌而来的大军，沉稳受之，犹如浩瀚大海迎接海岸。”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• रथियानाम्: of chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रेष्ठः: best, foremost
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतिजग्राह: accepted/received; took on
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चमूम्: army, host
• चमूम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमू
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आपततन्तीम्: falling upon, rushing towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पत्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, Śatṛ (present active participle)

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वेलाम्: shore, coast, boundary
• वेलाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• महोदधिः: the great ocean
• महोदधिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदधि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhishma
• Dhritarashtra
• camū (army/host)
• mahodadhi (ocean)
• velā (shoreline)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and disciplined acceptance of one’s duty: a leader should meet an oncoming crisis with composure and resolve, not panic—like the ocean’s vast steadiness at the shore.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Bhishma, the foremost chariot-warrior, facing and receiving the charging enemy host in battle, using the simile of the great ocean meeting the coastline.