Shloka 56

भीष्मस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति उपालम्भः

Bhīṣma’s Reproof to Duryodhana

Devanagari script

सर्वतः समचेष्टन्त सिंहभीता गजा इव । महाराज! आपके सभी सैनिक सब ओरसे दीन-चित्त हो सिंहसे डरे हुए हाथियोंकी भाँति भयपूर्ण चेष्टाएँ करने लगे

Transliteration

sarvataḥ samaceṣṭanta siṁhabhītā gajā iva |

Translation

三阇耶说道：“大王啊，你的士卒四面八方皆惊惶奔动——如同惧狮之象——勇气沉落，恐惧在阵列间迅速蔓延。”

Word by Word

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• समचेष्टन्त: they moved/acted (were making efforts)
• समचेष्टन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चेष्ट्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person plural

• सिंहभीताः: afraid of a lion
• सिंहभीताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंहभीत
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• गजाः: elephants
• गजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable particle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied addressee)
• soldiers (Kaurava army, implied)
• lion (simile)
• elephants (simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how quickly fear can collapse collective resolve in war: when confidence breaks, even strong forces behave like frightened animals. Ethically, it implies the importance of steadiness, leadership, and inner courage amid crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the king that the king’s troops have become demoralized and are moving about in fearful confusion, compared to elephants panicking at the presence of a lion.