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Shloka 856

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः

Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma

ऋते कृष्णान्महाभागात्‌ पाण्डवाद्‌ वा धनज्जयात्‌ । मैं महाभाग भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण अथवा पाण्डुपुत्र धनंजयके सिवा दूसरे किसीको जगतमें ऐसा नहीं देखता, जो युद्धके लिये उद्यत होनेपर मुझे मार सके

ṛte kṛṣṇān mahābhāgāt pāṇḍavād vā dhanañjayāt |

قال بهيشما: «ما خلا كريشنا الجليل، أو دهنَنْجَيا (أرجونا) ابنَ باندو، فلا أرى في هذا العالم أحدًا—إذا ما حملتُ السلاح وعزمتُ على القتال—يستطيع أن يصرعني.»

ऋतेexcept, without
ऋते:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootऋते
Formindeclinable; governs ablative (pañcamī)
कृष्णात्from Krishna / than Krishna (i.e., except Krishna)
कृष्णात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण
Formmasculine; ablative; singular
महाभागात्from the greatly fortunate one
महाभागात्:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाभाग
Formmasculine; ablative; singular
पाण्डवात्from a Pandava / than a Pandava (i.e., except a Pandava)
पाण्डवात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
Formmasculine; ablative; singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
Formindeclinable
धनञ्जयात्from Dhananjaya (Arjuna) / than Dhananjaya
धनञ्जयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootधनञ्जय
Formmasculine; ablative; singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
K
Kṛṣṇa
D
Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
P
Pāṇḍava(s)

Educational Q&A

Bhīṣma’s statement highlights that mere human strength is insufficient against certain dharma-supported forces: only Kṛṣṇa (as divine strategist and protector of dharma) or Arjuna (as the foremost archer acting under that guidance) can overcome him. It frames power as ultimately subordinate to righteousness and divine sanction.

On the battlefield context of Bhīṣma Parva, Bhīṣma assesses who could possibly defeat him once he is fully committed to battle. He declares that no one else in the world has the capacity to kill him, underscoring both his own martial supremacy and the exceptional status of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna.