Shloka 40
गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह
Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation
।। स भीष्मं शरजालेन महता समवाकिरत्,जिघांसन्तं युधां श्रेष्ठ तदा55सीत् तुमुलं महत् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! पाण्डवपक्षके लाखों क्षत्रियशिरोमणि महारथी विराट सेनापति शूरवीर श्वेतको आगे करके आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनको अपना बल दिखाते हुए शिखण्डीको सामने रखकर भीष्मके सुवर्णभूषित रथपर चढ़ आये। भारत! वे महारथी श्लेतकी रक्षा करना चाहते थे। इसलिये उसे मारनेकी इच्छावाले योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ भीष्मपर उन्होंने धावा किया। उस समय बड़ा भयंकर युद्ध छिड़ गया
sa bhīṣmaṁ śarajālena mahatā samavākirat | jighāṁsantaṁ yudhāṁ śreṣṭha tadā āsīt tumulaṁ mahat ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, he showered Bhīṣma with a vast net of arrows. As Bhīṣma—the foremost of warriors, intent on slaying—was assailed, at that moment a great and tumultuous battle erupted. The scene underscores the harsh duty of war: even the most venerable elder is met with relentless force when protecting one’s side takes precedence.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim reality of kṣatriya-duty in war: even the most revered elder (Bhishma) becomes a target when he is actively engaged in killing, and opponents respond with overwhelming force to protect their side and fulfill their martial obligations.
Sanjaya reports that Bhishma is being inundated by a massive volley—described as a ‘net of arrows’—and that this assault triggers (or coincides with) a fierce, chaotic surge in the fighting.