Shloka 71
गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह
Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation
त॑ वीरं वारितं दृष्टवा श्वेतेन शरविक्षतम् । हत॑ श्वेतेन मन्यन्ते श्वेतस्य वशमागतम्,ब्ैतने वीरवर भीष्मको कुण्ठित कर दिया और उनका शरीर बाणोंसे क्षत-विक्षत हो गया है, यह देखकर सब लोग यह मानने लगे कि भीष्मजी श्वेतके वशमें पड़ गये हैं और अब उन्हींके हाथसे मारे जायँगे
taṁ vīraṁ vāritaṁ dṛṣṭvā śvetena śaravikṣatam | hataṁ śvetena manyante śvetasya vaśam āgatam ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing that hero checked and his body torn and mangled by Śveta’s arrows, the warriors concluded that Bhīṣma had fallen under Śveta’s power and would now be slain by him.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly people infer victory, defeat, and even destiny from outward signs on the battlefield; ethical and strategic judgments are often driven by perception and morale rather than complete knowledge.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma has been checked and badly wounded by Śveta’s arrows, and the onlookers believe Bhīṣma has come under Śveta’s dominance and will be killed by him.