Shloka 108
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
परिवार्य तु ते सर्वे गाज़ेयं तरसा रणे । त्रिभिस्त्रिभि: शरैघोरे भींष्ममानच्छुरोजसा,उन सब लोगोंने रणक्षेत्रमें गंगानन्दन भीष्मको वेगपूर्वक घेरकर तीन-तीन भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा उन्हें यथाशक्ति पीड़ा पहुँचायी
parivārya tu te sarve gāṅgeyaṁ tarasā raṇe | tribhis tribhiḥ śaraiḥ ghore bhīṣmam ānacchuḥ ojasā ||
Sañjaya said: Then all of them, swiftly surrounding Bhīṣma—the son of the Gaṅgā—on the battlefield, struck him with volleys of three and three dreadful arrows, striving with all their might to afflict him. The scene underscores the relentless pressure of war, where even the most venerable warrior is assailed by collective force and determined effort.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: coordinated force is used to subdue even a revered elder like Bhīṣma. Ethically, it points to the tension between reverence for persons and the impersonal demands of battle-duty (kṣatriya-dharma).
Sañjaya reports that a group of warriors encircle Bhīṣma on the battlefield and shower him with dreadful arrows in sets of three, attempting to wound and weaken him through concentrated, vigorous attack.