Shloka 17

भीष्मपतनविषये धृतराष्ट्रस्य प्रश्नाः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Questions on Bhīṣma’s Fall

Devanagari script

तथा प्राच्या: प्रतीच्याश्न दाक्षिणात्योत्तरापथा: । सर्वथास्त्रेषु कुशलास्ते रक्षन्तु पितामहम्‌

Transliteration

tathā prācyāḥ pratīcyāś ca dākṣiṇātyottarāpathāḥ | sarvathāstreṣu kuśalās te rakṣantu pitāmaham ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“同样，让来自东方与西方、南方与北方诸道的英雄——凡于诸般兵器皆臻娴熟者——列为护卫，守护祖父毗湿摩。”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• प्राच्या: eastern (men/warriors)
• प्राच्या: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राच्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतीच्याः: western (men/warriors)
• प्रतीच्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतीच्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दाक्षिणात्य-उत्तरापथाः: southerners and northerners
• दाक्षिणात्य-उत्तरापथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाक्षिणात्य + उत्तरापथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वथा: in every way; wholly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा

• अस्त्रेषु: in weapons; in weaponry
• अस्त्रेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• कुशलाः: skilled; proficient
• कुशलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रक्षन्तु: let (them) protect
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Imperative (Lot), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पितामहम्: the grandsire (Bhishma)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• eastern warriors
• western warriors
• southern warriors
• northern warriors

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a dharmic war context, leadership entails organized protection of key commanders by assigning the most competent defenders, emphasizing responsibility, preparedness, and disciplined coordination.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports battlefield arrangements: warriors from all directions/regions who are highly proficient with weapons are instructed to form a protective guard around Bhīṣma, the Kaurava commander.