Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, Shloka 35
एष शान्तनवो भीष्म: सेनयोरन्तरे स्थित: । संनिहत्य बलादेनं विजयस्ते भविष्यति,“अर्जुन! ये शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्म दोनों सेनाओंके बीचमें खड़े हैं। यदि तुम बलपूर्वक इन्हें मार सको तो तुम्हारी विजय हो जायगी
sañjaya uvāca |
eṣa śāntanavo bhīṣmaḥ senayor antare sthitaḥ |
saṃnihatya balād enaṃ vijayas te bhaviṣyati ||
Dijo Sañjaya: «Ahí está Bhīṣma, hijo de Śāntanu, situado entre ambos ejércitos. Si puedes abatirlo por la fuerza, la victoria será tuya».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical tension of dharma in war: even a supremely venerable elder like Bhīṣma may stand as the decisive barrier to restoring order, and victory is portrayed as contingent upon confronting that painful necessity. It underscores that strategic success can demand actions that test personal reverence and moral restraint.
Sañjaya points out Bhīṣma’s position between the opposing armies and states that if Arjuna can forcibly bring him down, victory will follow. The line functions as a tactical assessment and a dramatic emphasis on Bhīṣma’s central role on the battlefield.
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