Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स ददर्श महात्मानं शरतल्पगतं तदा । जन्मशब्यागतं वीरं कार्तिकेयमिव प्रभुम्‌

Transliteration

sa dadarśa mahātmānaṃ śaratālpagataṃ tadā | janmaśayyāgataṃ vīraṃ kārtikeyam iva prabhum ||

Translation

三阇耶说：那时他看见大心的毗湿摩卧在箭床之上，宛如英勇的主神迦尔蒂凯耶，初生之际被安置在芦苇之榻上一般。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरतल्पगतम्: lying on the bed of arrows
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरतल्पगत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• जन्मशब्यागतम्: who had come to the birth-bed (reed-bed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मशब्यागत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरम्: the hero
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कार्तिकेयम्: Kartikeya
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• प्रभुम्: the lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• śara-tālpa (bed of arrows)
• Kārtikeya (Skanda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in dharma: Bhīṣma, though grievously wounded, is portrayed with heroic composure and dignity, suggesting that inner resolve and fidelity to one’s vows can persist even amid extreme suffering and the ethical tragedy of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that the observer (in context, the arriving party) sees Bhīṣma lying on the battlefield upon a bed of arrows. His appearance is compared to Lord Kārtikeya at birth resting on a reed-bed, elevating Bhīṣma’s martial stature and the solemnity of the moment.