Shloka 4
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
चेदिकाशिकरूषेषु पञ्चालेघु च भारत । भीष्मस्य बहुधा तालश्चलत्केतुरदृश्यत,भारत! चेदि, काशि, करूष तथा पांचालोंमें विचरते हुए भीष्मका तालचिह्लित चंचल पताकाओंवाला रथ अनेक-सा दिखायी देने लगा
cedikāśikarūṣeṣu pañcāleṣu ca bhārata | bhīṣmasya bahudhā tālaś calatketur adṛśyata ||
Sañjaya sprach: O Bhārata, als Bhīṣma durch die Reihen der Cedis, Kāśis, Karūṣas und Pañcālas streifte, schien sein Wagen—gekennzeichnet mit dem Palmyra-Emblem—an vielen Orten zugleich zu erscheinen, während sein Banner ruhelos flatterte.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary martial prowess and commanding presence can shape perception on the battlefield: Bhīṣma’s swift, wide-ranging movement makes his palm-emblemed chariot seem ‘many’—a reminder that power and leadership in war generate awe and psychological impact, even before ethical judgment of the war itself.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma is moving through multiple allied regions/contingents (Cedi, Kāśi, Karūṣa, Pañcāla). Because of his speed and constant repositioning, his chariot with the fluttering banner and palm emblem appears to be present in many places at once.