Shloka 2
तं वीरशयने वीरं शयानं कुरुसत्तम । अभिवाद्योपतस्थुर्व क्षत्रिया: क्षत्रियर्षभम्
sañjaya uvāca | taṃ vīraśayane vīraṃ śayānaṃ kurusattama | abhivādyopatasthur va kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabham ||
Sañjaya said: “O best of the Kurus, the warriors approached that heroic Bhīṣma as he lay upon the hero’s bed—the bed of arrows. Having bowed in reverence, the kṣatriyas stood near him, honouring the bull among kṣatriyas.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, dharma requires honouring merit, seniority, and sacrifice. The kṣatriyas’ respectful salutation and attendance to Bhīṣma—though he is a fallen combatant—models the ethic that reverence and service to elders and exemplars of duty should not be abandoned due to enmity or circumstance.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the kṣatriya leaders come to Bhīṣma, who lies on the vīraśayana (bed of arrows). They bow to him and stand nearby to attend upon him, acknowledging him as the foremost among warriors.