अग्रतः सर्वसैन्यानां भीष्म: शान्तनवो ययौ | मालवैददक्षिणात्यैश्व आवन्त्यैश्व समन्वित:,शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्म सम्पूर्ण सेनाओंके आगे-आगे चले। उनके साथ मालवा, दक्षिण प्रान्त तथा अवन्तीदेशके योद्धा थे
agrataḥ sarvasainyānāṁ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo yayau | mālavair dakṣiṇātyaiś ca āvantyaiś ca samanvitaḥ ||
Dijo Sañjaya: En la vanguardia de todos los ejércitos marchaba Bhīṣma, hijo de Śāntanu. Avanzó acompañado por guerreros de Mālava, de las regiones del sur y de Avanti.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical weight of leadership and duty in war: Bhīṣma, an elder bound by vows and allegiance, takes the foremost position, showing disciplined responsibility even when the conflict is morally complex.
Sañjaya describes the Kaurava battle-array: Bhīṣma marches at the head of the combined forces, accompanied by contingents from Mālava, the southern regions, and Avanti.