Shloka 5
भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array
अहन्यहनि पार्थानां वृद्ध: कुरुपितामह: । भरद्वाजात्मजश्रैव प्रातरुत्थाय संयतौ
ahan-yahani pārthānāṁ vṛddhaḥ kuru-pitāmahaḥ | bharadvājātmajaś caiva prātar utthāya saṁyataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Day after day, the aged grandsire of the Kurus, and also the son of Bharadvāja, rising early and restraining their minds, would utter a blessing: “May the Pāṇḍavas be victorious.” Yet, bound by the vow they had taken, they fought against the Pāṇḍavas for your sake—revealing the tension between inward righteousness and outward obligation.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic conflict: noble elders may inwardly wish for justice and the rightful side to prevail, yet outwardly act according to a binding vow or duty. It highlights the ethical complexity of war, where intention, obligation, and allegiance can pull in different directions.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma and Droṇa, though fighting for the Kauravas due to their pledged commitment, would each morning—after rising and practicing self-restraint—bless the Pāṇḍavas with victory.