Shloka 17
भीष्मभीमसमागमः — Bhīṣma–Bhīma Strategic Engagement and Counsel to the King
रथानामयुतं चापि पुत्राश्न तव दंशिता: । चित्रसेनादय: शूरा अभ्यरक्षन् पितामहम्
rathānām ayutaṃ cāpi putrāśna tava daṃśitāḥ | citrasenādayaḥ śūrā abhyarakṣan pitāmaham ||
Sañjaya said: “And, O son of yours, an ayuta (ten thousand) of chariots—well-armed and arrayed—together with heroes such as Citrasena, stood around and protected the grandsire. Thus the elders were guarded with disciplined force, reflecting the Kuru resolve to uphold their chosen duty in war.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined protection of a senior leader in a righteous-war framework: loyalty to one’s commander and orderly martial conduct are presented as part of the Kuru understanding of kṣatriya-dharma, even amid morally fraught conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a large force—ten thousand chariots—along with warriors led by Citrasena, formed a protective screen around Bhīṣma, ensuring the grandsire’s safety on the battlefield.