Shloka 366
गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह
Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation
स्वयूथादिव ते यूथान्मुक्त भूमिषु दारुणम् । महाबली भीष्मजी अपने झुंडसे बिछुड़े हुए हाथीकी भाँति आपकी सेनासे विलग होकर उस रणभूमिमें अत्यन्त भयंकर हो रहे थे; उनकी मार खाकर सम्पूर्ण शत्रु उन्हें छोड़कर भाग गये
svayūthādiva te yūthān muktaḥ bhūmiṣu dāruṇam | mahābalī bhīṣmaḥ jīvaḥ svayaṃ yūthāt vibhraṣṭa iva hastī yathā tava senāto vilagya raṇabhūmau atyantaṃ bhayānakaḥ abhavat; tasya prahāraiḥ sarve śatravaḥ taṃ vihāya palāyitāḥ |
Sañjaya said: Mighty Bhīṣma, separated from your army like an elephant cut off from its own herd, became fiercely formidable upon the battlefield. Struck down by his blows, the enemy host abandoned him and fled.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how steadfast courage and martial excellence (aligned with kṣatriya-dharma) can uphold an army’s morale: even when isolated, a righteous and powerful warrior can protect his side and cause the enemy to lose heart and retreat.
Sanjaya describes Bhishma becoming separated from the Kuru formation. Like a lone elephant cut off from its herd, he fights with terrifying force on the battlefield, and the enemies—unable to withstand his strikes—leave him and flee.