Shloka 7
भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्
Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash
तथा प्रवृत्ते संग्रामे धनुरुद्यम्य दंशित: । अभिपत्य महाबाहुर्भीष्मो भीमपराक्रम:
tathā pravṛtte saṅgrāme dhanur udyamya daṃśitaḥ | abhipatya mahābāhur bhīṣmo bhīmaparākramaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: When the battle had thus begun in earnest, Bhishma—mighty-armed and of fearsome valor—raised his bow, donned his armor, and rushed forward, unleashing a shower of arrows upon the foremost warriors of the opposing host.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the binding force of duty and allegiance in wartime: once conflict begins, even revered elders like Bhishma act decisively as warriors, illustrating the stern demands of kshatriya-dharma and the moral weight of choices that set war in motion.
Sanjaya describes the opening surge of battle: Bhishma arms himself—raising his bow and wearing armor—and charges forward to attack the opposing side with a fierce volley of arrows.