Shloka 55
अथैनं पज्चविंशत्या क्षुद्रकाणां समार्पयत् । तब शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मने अर्जुनपर हाथ उठाना बंद कर दिया। फिर भी अर्जुनने उन्हें पचीस बाण मारे || ५४ है || सो&5तिविद्धो महेष्वासो दःशासनमभाषत,इस प्रकार अत्यन्त घायल होनेपर महाधनुर्थर भीष्मने दुःशासनसे कहा--*ये पाण्डव महारथी अर्जुन युद्धमें क्रुद्ध होकर अनेक सहस्र बाणोंद्वारा मुझे घायल कर चुके हैं
athainaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā kṣudrakāṇāṃ samārpayat |
Entonces Arjuna lo hirió con veinticinco flechas pequeñas y veloces. Y aunque Bhīṣma, hijo de Śāntanu, contuvo la mano que había alzado—refrenando el impulso de golpear—Arjuna siguió apremiando el ataque y lo laceró con una descarga concentrada. La escena subraya la dura ética del deber en el campo de batalla: puede nacer la contención en un guerrero, pero el adversario, atado a la victoria y a la obligación, no se detiene.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between personal restraint and martial duty: even if a warrior like Bhīṣma restrains himself in a moment, the opponent—bound to his own obligation and strategy—continues the fight. Dharma in war is shown as complex, where compassion or hesitation does not automatically suspend the demands of combat.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna shoots Bhīṣma with twenty-five light arrows in quick succession. The surrounding narrative context (as reflected in the provided passage) suggests Bhīṣma momentarily checks his raised hand, yet Arjuna continues to wound him, intensifying the battle pressure.