Shloka 316
भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः
Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed
आजपघानोरससि क्रुद्ध इच्छन् भीष्मस्य जीवितम् । तदनन्तर भीष्मके जीवनकी रक्षा चाहनेवाले कृपाचार्यने समरांगणमें भार सहन करनेमें समर्थ दूसरा धनुष लेकर अत्यन्त हर्षके साथ सहदेवकी छातीमें क्रोधपूर्वक दस तीखे बाण मारे
ājapaghānorasasi kruddha icchan bhīṣmasya jīvitam | tadanantaraṃ bhīṣmake jīvanakī rakṣā cāhanevāle kṛpācāryane samarāṅgaṇeṃ bhāra sahan karanemeṃ samartha dūsarā dhanuṣ lekar atyanta harṣake sāth sahadevaki chātīmeṃ krodhapūrvak daśa tīkṣṇa bāṇ māre |
Dijo Sañjaya: Ardiendo de ira y deseando arrebatar la vida de Bhīṣma, apretó el ataque. Entonces Kṛpācārya, queriendo proteger la vida de Bhīṣma, tomó otro arco capaz de soportar la carga del combate y, con furia implacable pero con gozosa determinación, hirió a Sahadeva en el pecho con diez flechas agudas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, actions are often framed as dharma-driven obligations—here, the duty of a senior warrior to protect a revered commander (Bhishma). Yet the passage also shows the ethical tension: protective loyalty can manifest through violence, perpetuating escalation.
As an attack threatens Bhishma’s life, Kripacharya intervenes on the battlefield, takes up a strong bow, and shoots Sahadeva in the chest with ten sharp arrows to repel the threat and safeguard Bhishma.