Shloka 24
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
ततो ध्वजममोधेषुर्भीष्मस्य नवभि: शरै: | चिच्छेद समरे वीरस्तत उच्चुक्रुशुर्जना:,अभिमन्युके बाण अमोघ थे। उस वीरने समरांगणमें नौ बाणोंद्वारा भीष्मके ध्वजको काट गिराया। यह देख सब लोग उच्च स्वरसे कोलाहल कर उठे
tato dhvajam amogheṣur bhīṣmasya navabhiḥ śaraiḥ | ciccheda samare vīras tata uccukruśur janāḥ ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Entonces aquel héroe, cuyas flechas nunca erraban en vano, abatió el estandarte de Bhīṣma en medio de la batalla con nueve saetas. Al verlo, los guerreros alzaron un clamor estruendoso. En la trama ética del poema, derribar un estandarte no es solo destreza táctica: es un desafío público al prestigio del comandante, que acrecienta la presión moral y psicológica de la guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, symbolic acts—like cutting a commander’s banner—carry ethical and psychological weight. Valor is measured not only by killing but also by challenging an opponent’s honor and resolve, reminding readers that warfare escalates through public displays that affect morale and reputation.
During the battle, a heroic warrior described as an unerring archer severs Bhishma’s banner with nine arrows. The assembled fighters react with a loud uproar, marking the deed as a notable feat and a direct affront to Bhishma’s battlefield eminence.