Shloka 9
Adhyāya 107 — बहुयुद्धप्रकरणम्
Multiple Defensive Engagements to Protect Bhīṣma
तद् बल प्रद्गुतं दृष्ट॒वा पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव । पुरस्कृत्य रणे भीष्म सर्वसैन्यपुरस्कृत:,उस सेनाको भागती देख आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनने रणभूमिमें भीष्मको आगे करके सम्पूर्ण सेनाओंके साथ महान प्रयत्नपूर्वक धनंजयपर धावा किया। प्रजानाथ! उसके आक्रमणका उद्देश्य था त्रिगर्तराजके जीवनकी रक्षा
tad bala-pradrutam dṛṣṭvā putro duryodhanas tava | puraskṛtya raṇe bhīṣmaṁ sarva-sainya-puraskṛtaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing that army thrown into disorder and fleeing, your son Duryodhana—placing Bhīṣma at the forefront in the battle and advancing with the whole host—charged with great effort against Dhanañjaya (Arjuna). O lord of men, the aim of that assault was to protect the life of the king of the Trigartas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield dharma as understood by warriors: leadership is shown by rallying a routed force, placing an experienced commander (Bhīṣma) at the front, and acting to protect an ally’s life—yet it also implicitly shows how strategic necessity can drive aggressive action.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, seeing his troops in flight, Duryodhana reorganizes the Kaurava host with Bhīṣma leading and launches a determined assault on Arjuna, chiefly to save the Trigarta king (Susarman) from danger.