Shloka 38
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः
Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma
स हनिष्यति संग्रामे भीष्मं परपुरज्जयम् । अशक्यमपि कुर्याद्धि रणे पार्थ: समुद्यत:
sa haniṣyati saṅgrāme bhīṣmaṁ parapurañjayam | aśakyam api kuryād dhi raṇe pārthaḥ samudyataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “In the battle he will surely strike down Bhīṣma, the conqueror of enemy strongholds. For when Pārtha (Arjuna), the son of Kuntī, rises with firm resolve, he can make even what seems impossible become possible in war.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the power of steadfast resolve (samudyata) in righteous action: when a capable warrior commits fully to his duty, even what appears impossible can be accomplished. It frames human effort and determination as decisive forces within the moral pressure of war.
Sañjaya, reporting events and assessments from the battlefield, expresses confidence that Arjuna (Pārtha) will be able to bring down Bhīṣma—renowned as a conqueror of enemy strongholds—because Arjuna’s readiness and prowess can overcome even seemingly insurmountable odds.