Shloka 45

Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion

Bṛhannadā/Arjuna

Devanagari script

ततः: शान्तनवो भीष्मो वाम॑ पार्श्रमताडयत्‌ । पश्यत: प्रतिसंधाय विध्यत: सव्यसाचिन:,तदनन्तर शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मने (कौरवसेनाको) घायल करनेवाले सव्यसाची अर्जुनके देखते-देखते बाणसंधान करके उनका बायाँ पार्श्व बींध डाला

Transliteration

tataḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmo vāmaṃ pārśvam atāḍayat | paśyataḥ pratisaṃdhāya vidhyataḥ savyasācinaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波罗耶那说道：随后，善檀奴之子毗湿摩凝神定矢，瞄准无误，当着阿周那的面，以精准一箭击中其左胁。此事彰显战场伦理之冷峻：纵是最伟大的武士，亦为所择阵营与刹帝利之责所系，必以圆熟技艺毫不迟疑地伤及可敬的对手。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb: 'from/then')

• शान्तनवः: son of Śantanu
• शान्तनवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भीष्मः: Bhīṣma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वामम्: left
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular (agreeing with पार्श्वम्)

• पार्श्वम्: side/flank
• पार्श्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आताडयत्: struck/beat
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड्
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• पश्यतः: while (he) was looking
• पश्यतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्यत्
• Form: present active participle (śatṛ) from √पश्, masculine/neuter, genitive, singular (locative-absolute sense: 'while (he) was seeing')

• प्रतिसंधाय: having aimed/fixed (the arrow)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-धा (प्रति-सम्-धा)
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable

• विध्यतः: while (he) was piercing
• विध्यतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विध्यत्
• Form: present active participle (śatṛ) from √व्यध्/विध् 'to pierce', masculine/neuter, genitive, singular (locative-absolute sense: 'while (he) was piercing')

• सव्यसाचिनः: of Savyasācin (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• Śāntanu
• Arjuna (Savyasācin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya code in its stark form: mastery, resolve, and unwavering execution of one’s chosen duty in battle. It also points to the moral tension of war—greatness in skill can serve opposing loyalties, and righteousness is tested amid violence rather than displayed only in peace.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, identified as Śāntanu’s son, takes aim and shoots so as to strike Arjuna (called Savyasācin) on the left side, doing so openly and decisively in Arjuna’s presence.