Shloka 23
Bhīṣma’s Recollection of the Duel: Charioteer’s Fall, Brahmin Protection, and Portents after Rāma’s Collapse
प्रस्वापमस्त्रं त्वरितो वचनाद् ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । विचित्र च तदस्त्रं मे मनसि प्रत्यभात् तदा
prasvāpam astraṁ tvarito vacanād brahmavādinām | vicitraṁ ca tad astraṁ me manasi pratyabhāt tadā
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Con prontitud, por indicación de los sabios que hablan de Brahman, empleé el arma que induce al sueño. En ese mismo instante, aquel prodigioso proyectil se hizo claro en mi mente».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in martial contexts, power (astra) is to be used under rightful guidance and disciplined intent; the verse highlights obedience to spiritually authoritative counsel and the inner clarity required to wield extraordinary force responsibly.
Bhishma recounts that, acting swiftly on the instruction of sages, he deployed a sleep-inducing weapon; simultaneously, the method and potency of that remarkable astra became vividly present in his mind.