Shloka 15

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ९६: सौभद्रस्य आक्रमणम्, अलम्बुसस्य प्रतिविधानम्

Abhimanyu’s assault; Alambusa’s counter-engagement

Devanagari script

अनूपाधिपतिश्वैव नील: स्वबलमास्थित: । महता रथवंशेन हैडिम्बं पर्यवारयन्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

anūpādhipatiś caiva nīlaḥ svabalam āsthitaḥ |

mahatā rathavaṁśena haiḍimbaṁ paryavārayan ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“又有阿努帕之王尼罗（Nīla），全然倚仗自身之力，率领大队战车，从四面八方包围了海地姆巴（即伽托特迦遮，Ghaṭotkaca）。”在战争的伦理框架中，此偈凸显刹帝利之战法与职责（kṣātra-dharma）：以信心与决断协同合围强敌，战势也因此在毗摩的盟友伽托特迦遮周围愈加炽烈。

Word by Word

• अनूपाधिपतिः: the king (lord) of Anūpa
• अनूपाधिपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूप-आधिपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• नीलः: Nīla (proper name)
• नीलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वबलम्: his own strength/force
• स्वबलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having relied on / having taken refuge in
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु) → आस्थित (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महता: with a great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रथवंशेन: with a line/column of chariots (chariot-array)
• रथवंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ-वंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• हैडिम्बम्: the Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca, son of Hiḍimbā)
• हैडिम्बम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैडिम्ब
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्यवारयन्: they surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-आ-वृ (धातु) → पर्यवारयत् (लट्/शतृ-प्रायः, प्रथमा एकवचन/बहुवचन संदर्भानुसार)
• Form: Imperfect (Luṅ) / or Present participial usage in epic style, Third, Plural (contextually)

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nīla (king of Anūpa)
• Anūpa (region/kingdom)
• Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca)
• ratha (chariots)
• rathavaṁśa (chariot-host/array)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣātra-dharma in practice: disciplined, collective effort and strategic coordination in battle. Confidence (svabala-āśraya) is presented as a motivating force, but it is expressed through organized action—surrounding a powerful adversary rather than relying on isolated heroics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Nīla, the ruler of Anūpa, along with a large chariot contingent, encircles Ghaṭotkaca (called Haiḍimba) from all sides, indicating a concentrated attempt to contain or neutralize Bhīma’s formidable ally.