Shloka 34
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
ततो भीमस्टत्रिभिविद्ध्वा भीष्मं शान्तनवं रणे | कृपमेकेन विव्याध कृतवर्माणमष्टभि:,तब भीमसेनने उस रणक्षेत्रमें शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मको तीन बाणोंसे घायल करके कृपाचार्यको एक और कृतवर्माको आठ बाणोंसे बेध दिया
tato bhīmas tatra tribhir viddhvā bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ raṇe | kṛpam ekena vivyādha kṛtavarmāṇam aṣṭabhiḥ ||
Sanjaya said: Then Bhima, there on the battlefield, struck Bhishma—the son of Shantanu—with three arrows; he pierced Kripa with a single arrow and Krtavarman with eight. The report underscores the relentless precision of war, where even revered elders and teachers are treated as combatants once they stand in arms, and prowess is measured by controlled force rather than rage alone.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-duty: once war is joined, even venerable figures like Bhishma and Kripa are engaged as armed opponents. Strength is shown through disciplined, proportionate action—targeted strikes rather than uncontrolled violence—within the grim framework of righteous warfare.
Sanjaya reports a specific exchange in the Kurukshetra war: Bhima shoots Bhishma with three arrows, then hits Kripa with one arrow, and Krtavarman with eight, marking Bhima’s aggressive advance against key Kaurava champions.