Shloka 6

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

के शूरा रथशार्दूलमद्धुतं क्षत्रियर्षभम्‌ । तथानीकं गाहमानं सहसा पृष्ठतो<न्वयु:,किन शूरवीरोंने शत्रुसेनामें प्रवेश करते समय रथियोंमें सिंहके समान अद्भुत पराक्रमी, क्षत्रियशिरोमणि भीष्मजीके पास सहसा पहुँचकर सदा उनके पृष्ठभागका अनुसरण किया?

Transliteration

ke śūrā rathaśārdūlam adbhutaṁ kṣatriyarṣabham | tathānīkaṁ gāhamānaṁ sahasā pṛṣṭhato 'nvayuḥ ||

Translation

持国王问道：“当毗湿摩——战车武士中的雄狮，神勇惊人，刹帝利中的雄牛——正猛然冲入敌军阵中时，哪些英勇之士立刻奔赴其侧，紧随其后，护卫他的后方？”

Word by Word

केwhich (persons)

शूराःheroes, brave men

रथशार्दूलम्the tiger among chariot-warriors

अद्भुतम्marvellous, wondrous

क्षत्रियर्षभम्the bull among kshatriyas (best of warriors)

तथाthus, in that manner

अनीकम्army, battle-array

गाहमानम्entering, plunging into

सहसाsuddenly, at once

पृष्ठतःfrom behind, at the back

अन्वयुःfollowed

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bhīṣma

anīka (army/host)

ratha (chariot)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: steadfast loyalty to a commander, disciplined protection of the leader’s rear, and coordinated courage rather than solitary heroism.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, eager to know the course of the battle, asks Sañjaya which warriors quickly closed in behind Bhīṣma as he drove into the enemy formation, effectively supporting and safeguarding him.