Shloka 110
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
ततः शरसहस््रेण संनिवार्य महारथान् । हयान् काञ्चनसंनाहान् भीमस्य न््यहनच्छरै:
tataḥ śarasahasreṇa saṃnivārya mahārathān | hayān kāñcanasaṃnāhān bhīmasya nyahanaccharaiḥ ||
Sanjaya said: Then, with a thousand arrows, Bhishma checked those great chariot-warriors; and thereafter, by his shafts he struck down Bhima’s horses, which were adorned with golden harness. The episode underscores the ruthless precision of battlefield dharma in which disabling mobility—rather than merely seeking personal glory—becomes a decisive, ethically charged tactic in war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a key aspect of kshatriya battlefield dharma: victory often depends on disciplined strategy—such as immobilizing an opponent by targeting horses—rather than mere display of valor. It also reflects the harsh ethical terrain of war, where effective action can be devastating yet considered legitimate within the accepted rules of combat.
Sanjaya reports that Bhishma unleashes a dense volley of arrows to halt three great warriors, and then shoots down Bhima’s gold-harnessed horses, crippling Bhima’s chariot mobility and shifting the tactical balance in that exchange.