Shloka 61
तथा भीष्मस्तु सुदृढ वासुदेवधनंजयौ । विव्याध निशितैर्बाणै: सर्वगात्रेषु भारत,भारत! तथापि भीष्मने श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनके सम्पूर्ण अंगोंमें अपने पैने बाणोंसे गहरे आघात किये
tathā bhīṣmas tu sudṛḍha vāsudeva-dhanañjayau | vivyādha niśitair bāṇaiḥ sarva-gātreṣu bhārata bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: Even so, Bhīṣma, firm and unshaken, pierced Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) and Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) with sharp arrows, striking them on all their limbs, O Bhārata. The scene underscores the grim impartiality of battle: prowess and duty drive the warrior onward, even against revered figures, as the war’s ethical tension between devotion, kinship, and kṣatriya-dharma intensifies.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the stern demands of kṣatriya-dharma in war: a warrior like Bhīṣma remains resolute in his pledged duty, even when facing revered and beloved figures. It points to the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethical strain—how obligation and vows can compel harsh action amid personal reverence and devotion.
Sañjaya reports to the blind king that Bhīṣma, steadfast in battle, shoots sharp arrows that strike Kṛṣṇa (as Arjuna’s charioteer) and Arjuna across their bodies. It is a moment emphasizing Bhīṣma’s formidable martial power and the escalating intensity of the Kurukṣetra combat.