Shloka 3
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः
Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma
(निरुत्साहं बल॑ दृष्टवा पीडितं शरविक्षतम् ।) स्वसैन्यं च परावृत्तं पलायनपरायणम् | भीष्मं च युधि संरब्धं पीडयन्तं महारथम्
sañjaya uvāca | nirutsāhaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā pīḍitaṃ śaravikṣatam | svasainyaṃ ca parāvṛttaṃ palāyanaparāyaṇam | bhīṣmaṃ ca yudhi saṃrabdhaṃ pīḍayantaṃ mahāratham, bharatanandana |
Sanjaya said: Seeing the army dispirited—afflicted and torn by arrows—and seeing his own troops turning back, intent on flight, and seeing Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior, fiercely engaged in battle and tormenting the fighters, O delight of the Bharatas—(Yudhishthira reflected that evening had come and judged it right to withdraw the army).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king must govern war with discernment: when troops are broken in spirit, wounded, and disorderly, persistence can become adharma through needless slaughter; timely withdrawal preserves lives and restores order for a more righteous engagement later.
Sanjaya reports that the army has lost heart, is wounded by arrows, and is turning to flight, while Bhishma rages on the battlefield as a dominant maharatha; with evening approaching, Yudhishthira considers these conditions and decides that recalling the army from battle is the proper course.