Shloka 626

Devanagari script

अभ्यधावत कौन्तेयं मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम्‌ । महाराज! तदनन्तर भीष्मने दिव्य अस्त्र प्रकट करते हुए वहाँ समस्त धनुर्धरोंके देखते- देखते कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनपर धावा किया

Transliteration

abhya-dhāvat kaunteyaṃ miṣatāṃ sarva-dhanvinām | mahārāja! tad-anantaraṃ bhīṣmaḥ divyāstrāṇi prakaṭayan tatra samasta-dhanurdharāṇāṃ paśyatāṃ paśyatāṃ kuntī-kumāra arjunam prati dhāvāṃ cakāra |

Translation

三阇耶说道：“大王啊，当众弓手都在注视之时，毗湿摩猛然冲向昆蒂之子。随后，他显露天界神兵，在众射手眼前毫不遮掩、分明无误地向昆蒂之子阿周那发起冲击。”

Word by Word

• अभ्यधावत: ran towards / charged
• अभ्यधावत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कौन्तेयम्: Kuntī’s son (Arjuna)
• कौन्तेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मिषताम्: of those looking on
• मिषताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: मिषत्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine/Neuter (contextual), Genitive, Plural

• सर्वधन्विनाम्: of all the bowmen
• सर्वधन्विनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वधन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīṣma
• Arjuna (Kaunteya, Kuntī-kumāra)
• celestial weapons (divyāstrāṇi)
• archers/bowmen (sarva-dhanvinaḥ, dhanurdharāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the public, accountable nature of kṣatriya warfare: a renowned elder-warrior (Bhīṣma) openly commits to a decisive engagement, displaying mastery of astras. Ethically, it underscores that power and skill are to be exercised in a visible, rule-bound arena—before witnesses—rather than through concealment or treachery.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma, in full view of the assembled archers, suddenly charges Arjuna. As he advances, he reveals/ploys celestial weapons, signaling an intensified phase of the battle focused on confronting Arjuna directly.