Shloka 78
यः सम्प्राप्य रणे भीष्म जीविते सम मनो दथे । राजन! उस समय सोमकोंमें एक भी महारथी ऐसा नहीं था, जो युद्धभूमिमें भीष्मके पास पहुँचकर अपने मनमें जीवन-रक्षाकी आशा रखता हो || ७७ $ ।।
yaḥ samprāpya raṇe bhīṣmaṁ jīvite sama-mano dadhe | rājan! tadā somakeṣu naiko 'pi mahā-rathī yuddha-bhūmau bhīṣmasya samīpaṁ prāpya manasi jīvana-rakṣāyā āśāṁ dadhāna āsīt || tāṁś ca sarvān raṇe yodhān pretarāja-puraṁ prati ||
Sañjaya dit : «Ô roi, en ce temps-là, parmi les Somakas, il n’y avait pas un seul grand guerrier de char qui, parvenu jusqu’à Bhīṣma sur le champ de bataille, pût garder l’esprit tourné vers la survie ou nourrir l’espoir de sauver sa vie. Tous ces combattants, dans ce combat, semblaient être poussés vers la cité du Seigneur des Morts, Yama.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral gravity of war: when a warrior like Bhishma dominates the field, even the strongest lose hope of self-preservation, highlighting impermanence of life and the inevitability of death (Yama) amid kshatriya duty.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Bhishma’s presence in battle is so overwhelming that none among the Somaka great warriors can approach him while still expecting to survive; the fighting is portrayed as sending warriors toward Yama’s abode.