Shloka 51
भीष्मरक्षण-प्रकरणम् / The Protective Screen around Bhīṣma and the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Clash
अर्जुनो रथिनां श्रेष्ठो धृष्टद्युम्नमुवाच ह । भीष्मको रथोंके समूहसे घिरा हुआ देख रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अर्जुनने धृष्टद्युम्नसे कहा - || ५० ह || शिखण्डिनं नरव्याप्र॑ भीष्मस्य प्रमुखे नूप । स्थापयस्वाद्य पाञज्चाल्य तस्य गोप्ताहमित्युत
sañjaya uvāca | arjuno rathināṃ śreṣṭho dhṛṣṭadyumnam uvāca ha | bhīṣmaṃ rathānīka-samūhena ghṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā rathināṃ śreṣṭho 'rjuno dhṛṣṭadyumnam uvāca | śikhaṇḍinaṃ nara-vyāghra bhīṣmasya pramukhe nūnam | sthāpayasvādya pāñcālya tasya goptāham ity uvāca ||
Sañjaya dit : Voyant Bhīṣma entouré d’une masse de chars, Arjuna—le premier des guerriers de char—s’adressa à Dhṛṣṭadyumna : «Ô tigre parmi les hommes, ô prince de Pāñcāla, place aujourd’hui Śikhaṇḍin directement devant Bhīṣma. Je serai son protecteur.» En cet instant, Arjuna choisit délibérément une disposition tactique qui exploite le vœu et la retenue morale de Bhīṣma, afin de mettre fin à un carnage dévastateur tout en demeurant dans les règles admises du champ de bataille.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how dharma in war includes both courage and restraint: Arjuna seeks to stop Bhīṣma’s overwhelming destruction by using a lawful tactical means tied to Bhīṣma’s own ethical vow, while also taking responsibility to protect Śikhaṇḍin.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, seeing Bhīṣma strongly protected within a chariot formation, instructs Dhṛṣṭadyumna to place Śikhaṇḍin at the front facing Bhīṣma, with Arjuna promising to guard him—setting up the maneuver that will allow Bhīṣma to be checked.