Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

अरक्ष्यमाणं हि वृको हन्यात्‌ सिंहं महाबलम्‌ । मा सिंहं जम्बुकेनेव घातयाम: शिखण्डिना

Transliteration

arakṣyamāṇaṃ hi vṛko hanyāt siṃhaṃ mahābalam | mā siṃhaṃ jambuken eva ghātayāmaḥ śikhaṇḍinā |

Translation

三阇耶说道：“纵然是力大无比的雄狮，若被弃置而无人护卫，连一只狼也能将其杀死。我们不可让狮子般勇猛的毗湿摩，被尸建陀因击倒，如同雄狮竟为豺所扑倒一般。”

Word by Word

• अरक्ष्यमाणम्: unguarded, not being protected
• अरक्ष्यमाणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + य (प्रत्यय) ; अरक्ष्यमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वृकः: a wolf
• वृकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हन्यात्: might/should kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सिंहम्: a lion
• सिंहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाबलम्: very strong, of great strength
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (महाबल)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• सिंहम्: the lion
• सिंहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जम्बुकेन: by a jackal
• जम्बुकेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बुक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• घातयामः: let us cause to be killed / let us kill (by causing)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घातय् (हन्-णिच्) / घातय (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Plural, Parasmaipada

• शिखण्डिना: by Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Śikhaṇḍin
• wolf (vṛka)
• lion (siṃha)
• jackal (jambuka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses animal imagery to warn that even the greatest can be defeated if left unprotected, and it frames an ethical concern: a heroic warrior should not be brought down through an ignoble or opportunistic means.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya comments on the battlefield situation, likening Bhīṣma to a lion and Śikhaṇḍin to a jackal, urging that Bhīṣma should not be allowed to be killed through Śikhaṇḍin’s involvement—implying a tactical and moral objection to that mode of defeat.