Shloka 81
भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः
Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas
ते वध्यमाना भीष्मेण शतशो5थ सहस््रश: । कुर्वाणं समरे कर्माण्यतिमानुषविक्रमम्
te vadhyamānā bhīṣmeṇa śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ | kurvāṇaṃ samare karmāṇy atimānuṣa-vikramam ||
Sañjaya said: Struck down by Bhīṣma—by the hundreds and even by the thousands—they beheld him on the battlefield performing deeds of war with a prowess beyond ordinary human measure.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: exceptional martial virtue (vikrama) can coexist with immense destruction. It invites reflection on kṣatriya-duty and the grave human cost that accompanies even ‘righteous’ prowess in battle.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma is cutting down opposing warriors in vast numbers—hundreds and thousands—while executing battlefield actions with seemingly superhuman strength and skill.