Shloka 27

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

स भीष्म पञज्चविंशत्या कृपं च नवभि: शरै:

Transliteration

sa bhīṣmaḥ pañcaviṃśatyā kṛpaṃ ca navabhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

桑阇耶说道：他以二十五箭射中毗湿摩，又以九箭射中克利波——此事彰显战阵之精准而无情：当职责与效忠将人置于对立阵营时，纵是受人敬仰的长老与师长，也难得幸免。

Word by Word

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

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पञ्चविंशत्या: with twenty-five (arrows)
• पञ्चविंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun (Numeral)
• Root: पञ्चविंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कृपम्: Kripa
• कृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नवभिः: with nine (arrows)
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun (Numeral)
• Root: नवन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the hard edge of kṣatriya-duty in war: when dharma is interpreted through allegiance and battlefield obligation, even venerable elders and teachers become legitimate targets, illustrating the tragic moral complexity of Kurukṣetra.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a specific exchange in the battle: a warrior (identified by the surrounding verses) shoots Bhīṣma with twenty-five arrows and Kṛpa with nine, describing the measured, tactical distribution of blows among key Kaurava champions.