Shloka 33

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

प्रविवेश ततो मध्यं नरसिंह: प्रतापवान्‌ । तेषां महारथानां स मध्यं प्राप्प धनंजय:

Transliteration

praviveśa tato madhyaṁ narasiṁhaḥ pratāpavān | teṣāṁ mahārathānāṁ sa madhyaṁ prāpya dhanañjayaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：随后，那威猛如人中狮的英雄闯入敌阵中央。檀那阇耶（阿周那）抵达诸大车战士之中枢，便无畏地向其心腹深处推进。

Word by Word

• प्रविवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वि-विश्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3, singular

• ततः: then; from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• मध्यम्: the middle; the midst
• मध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• नरसिंहः: the man-lion (hero)
• नरसिंहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरसिंह
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty; valiant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• महारथानाम्: of the great chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मध्यम्: the middle; the midst
• मध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रापत्: reached; attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/इम्परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3, singular

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• धनंजय / अर्जुन (Dhanañjaya / Arjuna)
• महारथ (mahāratha, elite chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya resolve: entering danger for a chosen duty. Ethically, it frames battlefield courage not as mere aggression but as steadfastness in a grave, responsibility-laden conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, described as a lion among men, drives into the center of the opposing elite chariot-warriors, penetrating their formation and confronting the strongest fighters directly.