Shloka 56

भीष्मस्य सेनापत्यप्रतिज्ञा तथा रथसंख्यावर्णनम् | Bhishma Accepts Command and Enumerates Kaurava Strength

Devanagari script

ततः कर्णसमादिष्टा दूता: संत्वरिता रथै: । उष्ट्वामीभिरप्यन्ये सदश्वैक्ष महाजवै:

Transliteration

tataḥ karṇasamādiṣṭā dūtāḥ saṁtvaritā rathaiḥ | uṣṭrāmībhiḥ apyanye sadaśvaiś ca mahājavaiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“随后，奉迦尔纳之命，使者们急驰而出——有乘战车者，有骑骆驼与母驼者，又有骑乘迅疾良马者。他们飞奔穿行于诸军阵列，宣告迦尔纳的号令：次日黎明之前，人人必须整备待战。”

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• कर्ण-समादिष्टाः: commanded by Karna
• कर्ण-समादिष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्णसमादिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दूताः: messengers
• दूताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संत्वरिताः: hastened/quickened
• संत्वरिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संत्वरित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथैः: by/with chariots
• रथैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• उष्ट्र-आमीभिः: by/with she-camels
• उष्ट्र-आमीभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ट्रामी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सदश्वैः: with good horses
• सदश्वैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदश्व
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महाजवैः: with very great speed
• महाजवैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाजव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• dūtāḥ (messengers)
• ratha (chariot)
• uṣṭra/uṣṭrī (camel/camel-mare)
• aśva (horse)
• senā (army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of command in wartime: a leader’s decision rapidly becomes a binding duty for many, making discipline, readiness, and responsible leadership crucial.

What is happening in the narrative?

At Karṇa’s instruction, swift messengers ride out on chariots, camels, and fast horses to all army units, announcing that everyone must be prepared for battle before the next sunrise.