Shloka 20

Devanagari script

मा वो भीष्माद्‌ भयं किज्चिदस्त्वद्य युधि सूंजया: । ध्रुवं भीष्म विजेष्याम: पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्‌

Transliteration

mā vo bhīṣmād bhayaṁ kiñcid astv adya yudhi sṛñjayāḥ | dhruvaṁ bhīṣmaṁ vijeṣyāmaḥ puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“奢林阇耶的勇士们啊，今日战中对毗湿摩不必有丝毫畏惧。以尸佉ṇḍin为前锋，我们必定战胜毗湿摩。”

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• वः: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• भीष्मात्: from Bhishma
• भीष्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• किञ्चित्: any (at all), even a little
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• अस्तु: let there be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• सृञ्जयाः: O Sṛñjayas (Drupada's men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृञ्जय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Plural

• ध्रुवम्: surely, certainly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विजेष्यामः: we shall conquer
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Simple Future (Lṛṭ), 1st, Plural

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / putting forward
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), -त्वा/ल्यप्

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Sṛñjayas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Courage in duty is strengthened by clear resolve and intelligent planning; even an invincible warrior can be checked when he is bound by dharma-based restraints, showing how ethical commitments shape outcomes in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an assurance to the Sṛñjaya warriors that they need not fear Bhīṣma that day, because the plan is to place Śikhaṇḍin at the front—leveraging Bhīṣma’s refusal to fight Śikhaṇḍin—to secure victory over him.