Shloka 31
भीष्म–रामजामदग्न्ययुद्धप्रस्थानवर्णनम्
Bhishma’s Account of Parashurama’s Challenge and the March to Kurukshetra
ततो5हमपि शीघ्रास्त्रं समरप्रतिवारणम् | अवासूजं महाबाहो तेडन्तराधिछिता: शतः
tato ’ham api śīghrāstraṃ samaraprativāraṇam | avāsūjaṃ mahābāho te ’ntarādhikṣitāḥ śataḥ ||
Da entließ auch ich, o du Starkarmiger, eine schnelle Waffe, bestimmt, den Ansturm der Schlacht zu hemmen; und hundert jener Krieger, die in ihre Zwischenreichweite gerieten, wurden niedergestreckt.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when acting within a warrior’s duty, the verse highlights how quickly violence escalates and how a single tactical act can cause large-scale loss—inviting reflection on restraint, proportionality, and responsibility in conflict.
Bhīṣma narrates that he released a rapid, battle-checking weapon; in the course of that action, a hundred opponents who came within its intervening range were struck down.