Shloka 7

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

तथा प्रवृत्ते संग्रामे धनुरुद्यम्य दंशित: । अभिपत्य महाबाहुर्भीष्मो भीमपराक्रम:,इस प्रकार युद्ध आरम्भ हो जानेपर भयंकर पराक्रमी एवं कुरुकुलके प्रभावशाली वृद्ध पितामह महाबाहु भीष्म धनुष उठाये कवच बाँधे सहसा आगे बढ़े और अभिमन्यु, भीमसेन, महारथी सात्यकि, केकय, विराट एवं ट्रुपदकुमार धृष्टद्युम्न--इन सब नरवीरोंपर और चेदि तथा मत्स्यदेशीय योद्धाओंपर बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे

Transliteration

tathā pravṛtte saṅgrāme dhanur udyamya daṃśitaḥ | abhipatya mahābāhur bhīṣmo bhīmaparākramaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：当战斗如此真正展开之时，臂力雄伟、勇猛可怖的毗湿摩举起弓，披上甲胄，骤然冲向前方，向敌军最前列的勇士倾泻箭雨。

Word by Word

तथाthus

प्रवृत्तेhaving begun / set in motion

संग्रामेin the battle

धनुःbow

उद्यम्यhaving lifted/raised

दंशितःarmoured / clad in mail

अभिपत्यhaving rushed upon

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

भीष्मःBhishma

भीमपराक्रमःof terrible prowess

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhishma

bow

armor

battle (saṅgrāma)

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 binding force of duty and allegiance in wartime: once conflict begins, even revered elders like Bhishma act decisively as warriors, illustrating the stern demands of kshatriya-dharma and the moral weight of choices that set war in motion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes the opening surge of battle: Bhishma arms himself—raising his bow and wearing armor—and charges forward to attack the opposing side with a fierce volley of arrows.