Shloka 20
Bhīṣma’s Stuti of Keśava and Counsel on Nara–Nārāyaṇa (भीष्म-स्तवः; नरनारायण-प्रसङ्गः)
सम्भ्रान्तनागाश्वरथे मुहूर्ते महाक्षये सादिपदातियूनाम् | महारथै: सम्परिवार्यमाणो ददर्श भीष्म: कपिराजकेतुम्,उस मुहूर्तमें जब कि घुड़सवारों और पैदल युवकोंका विकट संहार हो रहा था तथा हाथी, घोड़े और रथ सभी अत्यन्त घबराहटमें पड़े हुए थे, महा-रथियोंसे घिरे हुए भीष्मने वानरचिह्से युक्त ध्वजवाले अर्जुनको देखा दमन चापि दायादं पौरवस्य महात्मन: । जघान विमलाग्रेण नाराचेन परंतप: इसके बाद शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले पाण्डव-सेनापतिने निर्मल धारवाले नाराचसे महामना पौरवके पुत्र दमनको भी मार डाला
saṃbhrāntanāgāśvarathe muhūrte mahākṣaye sādipadātiyūnām | mahārathaiḥ samparivāryamāṇo dadarśa bhīṣmaḥ kapirājaketum || damanaṃ cāpi dāyādaṃ pauravasya mahātmanaḥ | jaghāna vimalāgreṇa nārācena paraṃtapaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: At that moment, when a dreadful slaughter of the young horsemen and foot-soldiers was taking place, and elephants, horses, and chariots were all thrown into confusion, Bhīṣma—though surrounded by great chariot-warriors—caught sight of Arjuna, whose banner bore the emblem of the lord of monkeys (Hanumān). Then the foe-scorching commander of the Pāṇḍava host struck down Damana as well, the noble scion of the Paurava line, with a sharp-pointed, spotless-edged nārāca arrow—showing how, amid the chaos of war, decisive perception and lethal resolve drive the battle’s moral and strategic momentum.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of kṣatriya-dharma in war: even amid panic and mass slaughter, leaders must maintain clarity of perception and decisive action. It also underscores how symbols (Arjuna’s Hanumān-banner) carry moral and psychological force, shaping courage, resolve, and the perceived legitimacy of a warrior’s cause.
During a fierce phase of the Kurukṣetra battle, with elephants, horses, and chariots in turmoil and heavy casualties among cavalry and infantry, Bhīṣma—though surrounded by elite warriors—spots Arjuna identified by the Hanumān emblem on his standard. In the same sequence, the Pāṇḍava commander (contextually Arjuna) kills Damana, a noble descendant of the Paurava line, using a sharp iron nārāca arrow.