Shloka 27

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छुत्वा तु भीष्मस्य राज्ञां दध्वंसिरे तदा । काज्चनाड्रदिन: पीना भुजाश्षन्दनरूषिता:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | etac chrutvā tu bhīṣmasya rājñāṁ dadhvaṁsire tadā | kāñcanāṅgadinaḥ pīnā bhujāś candana-rūṣitāḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩之言入耳，众王立时失其镇定。其粗壮臂膀本佩金臂钏、涂旃檀香，此刻却皆垂软无力；因那被唤起的往昔与预见之势，震撼了他们的心。毗湿摩之言入耳，众王立时失其镇定。其粗壮臂膀本佩金臂钏、涂旃檀香，此刻却皆垂软无力；因那被唤起的往昔与预见之势，震撼了他们的心。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त), Active

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भीष्मस्य: of Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• राज्ञाम्: of the kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दध्वंसिरे: were shaken / collapsed / became dismayed
• दध्वंसिरे: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्वंस्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Plural, Ātmanepada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• काञ्चनाङ्गदिन्: wearing golden armlets
• काञ्चनाङ्गदिन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चनाङ्गदिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पीनाः: stout, full, strong
• पीनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भुजाः: arms
• भुजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चन्दनरूषिताः: smeared/anointed with sandal(-paste)
• चन्दनरूषिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्दनरूषित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त), रूष्/रुष् (to smear/anoint; here in sense 'smeared')

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• kings (rājānaḥ)
• golden armlets (kāñcanāṅgada)
• sandalwood paste (candana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma’s counsel carries such moral and strategic weight that it strips away bravado: true discernment in dharma and war makes even powerful rulers confront consequences, revealing that strength without right judgment quickly collapses.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Bhīṣma speaks, the kings in the assembly are visibly shaken—so affected that their strong, ornamented arms become slack—signaling fear, doubt, or sobering realization about the coming conflict and its outcomes.