Shloka 11
Bhīṣma’s Stuti of Keśava and Counsel on Nara–Nārāyaṇa (भीष्म-स्तवः; नरनारायण-प्रसङ्गः)
यथा हि पूर्वेडहनि धर्मराज्ञा व्यूह: कृत: कौरवसत्तमेन । तथा न भूतो भुवि मानुषेषु न दृष्टपूर्वो न च संश्रुतश्च
sañjaya uvāca |
yathā hi pūrvedahani dharmarājñā vyūhaḥ kṛtaḥ kauravasattamena |
tathā na bhūto bhuvi mānuṣeṣu na dṛṣṭapūrvo na ca saṃśrutaś ca ||
bhūriśravāś ca śalyaś ca drauṇiḥ sāṃyamaniḥ śalaḥ |
nābhyavartanta saṃrabdhāḥ kārṣṇer bāhubalodayam ||
Sañjaya sprach: So wie am vorigen Tage der Vornehmste unter den Kauravas eine Schlachtordnung (vyūha) gegen Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira aufgestellt hatte, so war auch diese. Unter den Heeren der Menschen auf Erden war eine solche Ordnung niemals zuvor entstanden—weder je gesehen noch auch nur vom Hörensagen bekannt. Bhūriśravā, Śalya, Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā), Sāṃyamani (Sohn Somadattas) und Śala—obgleich von Zorn entflammt—vermochten das anwachsende Armvermögen des Kārṣṇi (Abhimanyu) nicht zu hemmen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary strategy and personal valor can overturn expectations: even renowned warriors, though furious and determined, may fail to restrain a righteous side’s momentum. It also underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethical tension—martial skill and dharma are tested amid escalating, unprecedented warfare.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kauravas arranged a battle-formation comparable to the previous day’s array against Yudhiṣṭhira—so rare it was neither seen nor heard of before. Despite their anger, key Kaurava fighters (Bhūriśravā, Śalya, Aśvatthāmā, Sāṃyamani, Śala) cannot check Abhimanyu’s surging prowess.