Shloka 86
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः
आत्मनो बुद्धिदौर्बल्याद् भीष्ममासाद्य केशव । “केशव! ऐसी दशामें मैं तो अपनी बुद्धिकी दुर्बलताके कारण भीष्मसे टक्कर लेकर भीष्मरूपी अगाध जलराशिमें नावके बिना डूबा जा रहा हूँ
ātmano buddhidaurbalyād bhīṣmam āsādya keśava
قال سَنْجَايَا: «يا كيشافا، لِضَعفِ حُكمي أنا، واجهتُ بِهِيشْما؛ وها أنا الآن، بلا قارب، أغرق في المحيط السحيق الذي هو بِهِيشْما».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical self-scrutiny in crisis: recognizing one’s own flawed judgment (buddhi-daurbalya) and the danger of confronting a vastly superior force without proper means or guidance. It implicitly urges humility, prudent counsel, and reliance on right strategy rather than rash confidence.
Sanjaya reports a speaker’s confession to Krishna (Keshava): having come up against Bhishma, the speaker feels overwhelmed, likening Bhishma to a boundless ocean and himself to a person drowning without a boat—an image of helplessness before Bhishma’s might and experience in the Kurukshetra war.