Shloka 33
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६२: वासुदेवमहात्म्यप्रशंसा (देव–ब्रह्मसंवादः)
संनिवृत्तांस्ततस्तांस्तु दृष्टवा राजा सुयोधन: । अब्रवीत् त्वरितो गत्वा भीष्मं शान्तनवं वच:,तब उन सबको लौटा हुआ देख राजा दुर्योधन तुरंत ही शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मके पास जाकर बोला--
saṁnivṛttāṁs tataḥ tāṁs tu dṛṣṭvā rājā suyodhanaḥ | abravīt tvarito gatvā bhīṣmaṁ śāntanavaṁ vacaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then King Suyodhana (Duryodhana), seeing those men returning, hurriedly went to Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, and addressed him. The moment underscores Duryodhana’s anxious urgency in war-counsel—seeking direction from the elder whose authority and dharma-grounded judgment could steady the Kaurava cause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a crisis, power alone is insufficient; leaders instinctively seek counsel from those with proven steadiness and dharma-based authority. The verse highlights the ethical weight of elder guidance in war, even when the cause is driven by ambition and fear.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana sees certain men returning (from a mission or movement just described) and, alarmed or pressed by the situation, quickly goes to Bhīṣma to speak—signaling a turn toward immediate strategic consultation.