Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कृतिन त॑ दुराधर्ष संजयास्य त्वमन्तिके । कथं शान्तनवं युद्धे पाण्डवा: प्रत्यवारयन्‌,जिन्होंने युद्धमें पाण्डवोंपर दुष्कर पराक्रम किया था तथा जो उनकी सेनाका निरन्तर संहार कर रहे थे, उन अस्त्रविद्याके ज्ञाता दुर्जय वीर भीष्मजीको जिन्होंने रोका है, वे कौन हैं? संजय! तुम तो उनके पास ही थे, पाण्डवोंने युद्धमें शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मको किस प्रकार आगे बढ़नेसे रोका?

Transliteration

Dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca: Kṛtinaṁ taṁ durādharṣaṁ sañjayāsya tvam antike | Kathaṁ Śāntanavaṁ yuddhe Pāṇḍavāḥ pratyavārayan ||

Translation

持国王说道：“三阇耶，你就在他身边——告诉我。般度诸子在战斗中如何遏止善檀奴后裔毗湿摩——那位功业圆满、难以攻破、精通兵器的英雄；他施展近乎不可能的勇武，并无休止地摧毁他们的军势。是由谁、以何方式，将他拦住不许前进？”

Word by Word

कृतिनःaccomplished, capable (men)

तेthose

दुराधर्षाःhard to assail, unassailable

संजयO Sanjaya

अस्यof this (matter)

त्वम्you

अन्तिकेnear, in the presence

कथम्how

शान्तनवम्the son of Śantanu (Bhīṣma)

युद्धेin battle

पाण्डवाःthe Pāṇḍavas

प्रत्यवारयन्held back, checked, restrained

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Pāṇḍavas

Śāntanu

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 the ethical tension of war: even an invincible elder-warrior acting within his vow-bound duty can be opposed when the larger conflict demands it. It frames restraint of power as a crucial moral and strategic problem—how to limit destructive force without denying the warrior’s stature.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing of Bhīṣma’s devastating advance against the Pāṇḍavas, questions Sañjaya (who witnessed events) about the specific means and persons by which Bhīṣma—Śāntanu’s descendant and a master of arms—was prevented from continuing his onslaught.