Shloka 49
भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः
Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas
गाड़ेयस्त्वब्रवीत् पार्थ धन्विश्रेष्ठमरिंदम । शत्रुदमन नरेश! उस समय शान्तनुकुमार गंगानन्दन भीष्मने धनुर्धरोंमें श्रेष्ठ कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनकी उस फुर्तीके लिये उनकी भूरि-भूरि प्रशंसा की और इस प्रकार कहा-- || ४८ || साधु साधु महाबाहो साधु कुन्तीसुतेति च,“महाबाहो! कुन्तीकुमार! बहुत अच्छा, बहुत अच्छा, तुम्हें साधुवाद।” ऐसा कहकर भीष्मने पुनः दूसरा सुन्दर धनुष लेकर समरांगणमें अर्जुनके रथकी ओर बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी
sañjaya uvāca | gāḍeyaḥ tv abravīt pārtha dhanviśreṣṭham ariṃdama | śatrudamana nareśa! tasmin samaye śāntanukumāro gaṅgānandano bhīṣmo dhanurdharāṇāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ kuntīputram arjunam tasya tvaritāyāḥ bhūri-bhūri praśaśaṃsa, evaṃ ca uvāca— || 49 || sādhu sādhu mahābāho sādhu kuntīsuteti ca | “mahābāho! kuntīkumarā! bahu śobhanam, bahu śobhanam; tubhyaṃ sādhuvādaḥ” iti uktvā bhīṣmaḥ punaḥ anyat sundaraṃ dhanuḥ gṛhītvā samarāṅgaṇe arjunasya rathāya bāṇavarṣaṃ prārabdhavān |
Sañjaya said: Then Bhīṣma—Śāntanu’s son, the joy of the Gaṅgā—addressed Arjuna, Kuntī’s son, the foremost of bowmen and a crusher of foes. O king, at that moment, seeing Arjuna’s swift prowess, Bhīṣma praised him again and again and said: “Well done, well done, mighty-armed one! Well done, son of Kuntī!” Having spoken these words of approval, Bhīṣma took up another fine bow and, on the battlefield, began once more to shower arrows toward Arjuna’s chariot. Ethically, the scene highlights the kṣatriya ideal: even amid lethal combat, excellence is acknowledged without malice, and respect for a worthy opponent coexists with unwavering resolve to fight one’s duty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage models kshatriya-dharma: excellence is recognized even in an enemy, and praise does not weaken one’s commitment to duty. Honor, fairness, and respect can coexist with fierce combat.
During the battle, Bhishma observes Arjuna’s swift skill, openly applauds him with repeated ‘sādhu’ and then immediately resumes the fight by taking another bow and raining arrows toward Arjuna’s chariot.