Shloka 22
Adhyāya 112: Bhīṣma-prati Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ
Arjuna’s Forward Drive Toward Bhīṣma
वध्यमानस्य सैन्यस्य सर्वरेतैर्महारथै: । नान्यां गतिं प्रपश्यामि स्थाने युद्धे च भारत
sañjaya uvāca |
vadhyamānasya sainyasya sarvair etair mahārathaiḥ |
nānyāṃ gatiṃ prapaśyāmi sthāne yuddhe ca bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: “O Bhārata, as our army is being cut down by all these great chariot-warriors, I see no other course—whether to hold our ground or to continue the fight—apart from you. You alone are capable of protecting it; therefore become quickly the refuge of us who are afflicted.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a moment of collapse, Sañjaya frames ethical leadership as protective responsibility: when a community is being destroyed, mere strategy is insufficient—one must become a dependable refuge, steadying others and taking accountability for their safety.
Sañjaya reports to the Bhārata king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that the Kaurava forces are being slaughtered by powerful warriors. He declares that he sees no alternative—either to hold the line or to continue the fight—except reliance on the king’s decisive support and protection.