VedawordA Vedic library
Search
Sign in
Mahabharata
Bhīṣmārjunadvairatham (The Single Combat of Bhishma and Arjuna)6.56.1-6
5645 / 15823
Mahabharata · 6.56.1-6
॥
Devanāgarī

संजय उवाच
व्युष्टां निशां भारत भारतानाम्; अनीकिनीनां प्रमुखे महात्मा ॥
ययौ सपत्नान् प्रति जातकोपो; वृतः समग्रेण बलेन भीष्मः ॥
तं द्रोणदुर्योधनबाह्लिकाश् च; तथैव दुर्मर्षणचित्रसेनौ ॥
जयद्रथश् चातिबलो बलौघैर्; नृपास् तथान्ये ऽनुययुः समन्तात् ॥
स तैर् महद्भिश् च महारथैश्; च तेजस्विभिर् वीर्यवद्भिश् च राजन् ॥
रराज राजोत्तम राजमुख्यैर्; वृतः स देवैर् इव वज्रपाणिः ॥
तस्मिन्न् अनीकप्रमुखे विषक्ता; दोधूयमानाश् च महापताकाः ॥
सुरक्तपीतासितपाण्डुराभा; महागजस्कन्धगता विरेजुः ॥
सा वाहिनी शांतनवेन राज्ञा; महारथैर् वारणवाजिभिश् च ॥
बभौ सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुकल्पा; जलागमे द्यौर् इव जातमेघा ॥
ततो रणायाभिमुखी प्रयाता; प्रत्य् अर्जुनं शांतनवाभिगुप्ता ॥
सेना महोग्रा सहसा कुरूणां; वेगो यथा भीम इवापगायाः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

saṃjaya uvāca
vyuṣṭāṃ niśāṃ bhārata bhāratānām; anīkinīnāṃ pramukhe mahātmā ||
yayau sapatnān prati jātakopo; vṛtaḥ samagreṇa balena bhīṣmaḥ ||
taṃ droṇaduryodhanabāhlikāś ca; tathaiva durmarṣaṇacitrasenau ||
jayadrathaś cātibalo balaughair; nṛpās tathānye 'nuyayuḥ samantāt ||
sa tair mahadbhiś ca mahārathaiś; ca tejasvibhir vīryavadbhiś ca rājan ||
rarāja rājottama rājamukhyair; vṛtaḥ sa devair iva vajrapāṇiḥ ||
tasminn anīkapramukhe viṣaktā; dodhūyamānāś ca mahāpatākāḥ ||
suraktapītāsitapāṇḍurābhā; mahāgajaskandhagatā virejuḥ ||
sā vāhinī śāṃtanavena rājñā; mahārathair vāraṇavājibhiś ca ||
babhau savidyutstanayitnukalpā; jalāgame dyaur iva jātameghā ||
tato raṇāyābhimukhī prayātā; praty arjunaṃ śāṃtanavābhiguptā ||
senā mahogrā sahasā kurūṇāṃ; vego yathā bhīma ivāpagāyāḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
संजय उवाचsaṃjaya uvācaSaṃjaya said; Saṃjaya spoke
व्युष्टाम् निशाम् भारतvyuṣṭām niśām bhāratawhen the night had passed, O Bharata; after the night had gone
भारतानाम् अनीकिनीनाम् प्रमुखेbhāratānām anīkinīnām pramukhebefore the armies of the Bharatas; at the head of the Bharata hosts
महात्मा ययौmahātmā yayauthe great-souled one went forth; the great soul advanced
सपत्नान् प्रति जातकोपःsapatnān prati jātakopaḥagainst the foes, having grown angry; enraged against the rivals
वृतः समग्रेण बलेनvṛtaḥ samagreṇa balenasurrounded by the whole army; encircled by the gathered host
भीष्मःbhīṣmaḥBhishma; son of Shantanu
तम् द्रोणदुर्योधनबाह्लिकाः चtam droṇaduryodhanabāhlikāḥ cahim -- Drona, Duryodhana, Bahlika; behind him Drona and Duryodhana
तथा एव दुर्मर्षणचित्रसेनौtathā eva durmarṣaṇacitrasenauand likewise Durmarshana and Chitrasena; Durmarshana together with Chitrasena
जयद्रथः च अतिबलःjayadrathaḥ ca atibalaḥand the very mighty Jayadratha; the powerful Jayadratha
बलौघैःbalaughaiḥwith streams of troops; with masses of forces
नृपाः तथा अन्येnṛpāḥ tathā anyekings and others; and other rulers
अनुययुः समन्तात्anuyayuḥ samantātfollowed from every side; accompanied him from all quarters
स तैः महद्भिः महारथैःsa taiḥ mahadbhiḥ mahārathaiḥhe, by those great mahārathas; with such great chariot-warriors
च तेजस्विभिःca tejasvibhiḥand radiant ones; and valorous ones
वीर्यवद्भिः च राजन्vīryavadbhiḥ ca rājanand mighty ones, O king; powerful ones, O king
रराज राजोत्तमrarāja rājottamashone, best of kings; gleamed, O lord
राजमुख्यैः वृतःrājamukhyaiḥ vṛtaḥsurrounded by chief kings; encircled by the foremost rulers
स देवैः इव वज्रपाणिःsa devaiḥ iva vajrapāṇiḥhe, like Vajrapani among the gods; like Indra among the gods
तस्मिन् अनीकप्रमुखे विषक्ताःtasmin anīkapramukhe viṣaktāḥfastened at the front of that host; in the vanguard of the army
दोधूयमानाः च महापताकाःdodhūyamānāḥ ca mahāpatākāḥand the great banners waving; the fluttering great flags
सुरक्तपीतासितपाण्डुराभाःsuraktapītāsitapāṇḍurābhāḥred, yellow, black, white; gleaming in various colors
महागजस्कन्धगताः विरेजुःmahāgajaskandhagatāḥ virejuḥshone upon the shoulders of great elephants; gleamed on the backs of elephants
सा वाहिनी शांतनवेन राज्ञाsā vāhinī śāṃtanavena rājñāthat army, with king Shantanava; this army with Bhishma
महारथैः वारणवाजिभिः चmahārathaiḥ vāraṇavājibhiḥ cawith mahārathas, elephants and horses; with chariot-warriors, elephants, steeds
बभौ सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुकल्पाbabhau savidyutstanayitnukalpāshone, like one with lightning and thunder; seemed like a thundercloud
जलागमे द्यौः इवjalāgame dyauḥ ivalike the sky in the season of rains; like the sky in the rainy season
जातमेघाjātameghāwith clouds arisen; covered with clouds
ततः रणाय अभिमुखी प्रयाताtataḥ raṇāya abhimukhī prayātāthen, turned toward battle, went forth; after this moved toward the fight
प्रति अर्जुनम्prati arjunamagainst Arjuna; toward Partha
शांतनवाभिगुप्ताśāṃtanavābhiguptāprotected by Shantanava; shielded by Bhishma
सेना महोग्रा कुरूणाम्senā mahogrā kurūṇāmthe very terrible army of the Kurus; the fearsome army of the Kurus
सहसाsahasāsuddenly; swiftly
वेगः यथा भीमःvegaḥ yathā bhīmaḥlike a fearsome torrent; like a terrible current
इव आपगायाःiva āpagāyāḥas of a river; of river water
Translation

Saṃjaya said: 'When the night had passed, O Bharata, the great-souled Bhishma, enraged against the enemy, went forth at the head of the armies of the Bharatas, surrounded by the whole gathered host. Behind him, from every side, followed Drona, Duryodhana, Bahlika, Durmarshana with Chitrasena, the very mighty Jayadratha with streams of troops, and other kings. O king, surrounded by great, radiant and mighty mahārathas, the foremost of rulers, he shone like Vajrapani among the gods. In the vanguard of the army, upon the shoulders of great elephants, great banners waved and shone -- red, yellow, black, and white. This army, with king Shantanava, its mahārathas, elephants and horses, seemed like the sky of the rainy season, full of clouds, lightning, and thunder. Then the terrible army of the Kurus, protected by Bhishma, swiftly advanced to battle against Arjuna, like the fearsome current of a river.'

Version

79f1d227a2a4 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:22:45 PM UTC

Available inRUEN
PreviousVerse 6.55.117-132

Page between verses with