Shloka 8
भीमसेनस्य बहुमहारथसंयुगः
Bhīmasena’s Engagement with Multiple Mahārathas
अभीषाहा: शूरसेना: शिवयो5थ वसातय: । संग्रामे नाजहुर्भीष्मं वध्यमाना: शितै: शरै:,सौवीर, कितव, प्राच्य, प्रतीच्य, उदीच्य, मालव, अभीषाह, शूरसेन, शिबि और वसाति देशके योद्धा शत्रुओंके तीखे बाणोंसे पीड़ित होनेपर भी संग्रामभूमिमें भीष्मको छोड़कर नहीं भागे
sañjaya uvāca | abhīṣāhāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayo 'tha vasātayaḥ | saṅgrāme nājahur bhīṣmaṃ vadhyamānāḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ |
Sañjaya dit : Les guerriers des Abhīṣāhas, des Śūrasenas, des Śibis et des Vasātis—bien qu’abattus par des flèches acérées—n’abandonnèrent pas Bhîshma sur le champ de bataille. Leur constance reflétait la loyauté de l’armée kaurava envers son chef et l’éthique martiale : endurer plutôt que rompre les rangs par crainte.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness and loyalty in the face of danger: even when wounded by sharp arrows, warriors uphold their duty to stand by their commander. It reflects the martial ethic (kṣatriya-dharma) of not deserting one’s post out of fear.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that several allied peoples fighting for the Kauravas—Abhīṣāhas, Śūrasenas, Śibis, and Vasātis—remain in the fight and do not flee or leave Bhīṣma, despite being heavily attacked by the enemy’s arrows.