Shloka 41
सम्भ्रमश्न महानासीत् त्रिदशानां विशाम्पते । पतिष्यति रथाद् भीष्मे सर्वलोकप्रिये तदा
saṁbhramaś ca mahān āsīt tridaśānāṁ viśāmpate | patiṣyati rathād bhīṣme sarvalokapriye tadā prajānātha ||
Sañjaya said: “O lord of the people, a great agitation arose among the gods. For when they understood that Bhīṣma—beloved of all the worlds—was then about to fall from his chariot, even the celestial beings were struck with astonishment.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the fall of a dharmic, universally revered elder like Bhīṣma is not merely a battlefield event but a cosmic shock: even the gods are stirred. It underscores the moral weight of actions in war and the profound consequence when a pillar of order and duty is brought down.
Sañjaya reports to the king that, at the moment it became evident Bhīṣma was about to fall from his chariot, a great commotion arose among the devas. The scene marks a turning point in the battle, emphasizing Bhīṣma’s stature and the extraordinary nature of his impending downfall.