Shloka 27
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
अथ भीष्मो महास्त्राणि दिव्यानि सुबहूनि च । प्रादुश्चक्रे महारौद्रे रणे तस्मिन् महाबल:,तब महाबली भीष्मने उस अत्यन्त भयंकर संग्राममें बहुत-से महान् दिव्यास्त्र प्रकट किये
atha bhīṣmo mahāstrāṇi divyāni subahūni ca | prāduścakre mahāraudre raṇe tasmin mahābalaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Then Bhīṣma, mighty in strength, manifested many great and celestial weapons in that exceedingly dreadful battle. The verse underscores the escalation of war through extraordinary force—an outward display of power that intensifies the terror of combat and tests the warriors’ restraint and adherence to dharma amid destruction.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the unleashing of extraordinary power in war magnifies भय (terror) and moral pressure. It implicitly raises the ethical question central to the Mahābhārata: even when one has immense capability, how does one remain aligned with dharma—using force as duty requires, yet avoiding uncontrolled devastation?
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma, in the midst of a fiercely raging battle, brings forth many great divine weapons. This signals a turning point of intensification on the battlefield, where commanders resort to higher, more formidable means to gain advantage.