Shloka 28
Bhīṣma’s Fall, the Arrow-bed (śara-talpa), and the Establishment of Guard
नायं संरक्षितुं काल: प्राणान् पुत्रोपजीविभि: । याहि स्वर्ग पुरस्कृत्य यशसे विजयाय च
na ayaṁ saṁrakṣituṁ kālaḥ prāṇān putropajīvibhiḥ | yāhi svargaṁ puraskṛtya yaśase vijayāya ca |
Sañjaya dijo: «No es tiempo para que los hombres que viven dependientes de sus hijos se aferren a la protección de su propia vida. Ve a Bhīṣma, poniendo el cielo por delante—en busca de fama y victoria».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges prioritizing honor-bound action over self-preservation: in a dharma-war context, one should not cling to life out of fear or dependency, but act with the higher aims of duty, glory, and the righteous hope of heaven.
Sañjaya, reporting the battlefield situation, conveys an exhortation to approach Bhīṣma—the commander—without hesitation, framing the moment as one that demands courage and commitment to victory rather than anxious protection of one’s life.