Shloka 3
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
एतैरतिरथैर्गुप्त: पञ्चभिर्भरतर्षभ: । पाण्डवानामनीकानि विजगाहे महारथ:,इन पाँच अतिरथी वीरोंसे सुरक्षित हो भरत-भूषण महारथी भीष्मजीने पाण्डवोंकी सेनाओंमें प्रवेश किया
etair atirathair guptaḥ pañcabhir bharatarṣabhaḥ | pāṇḍavānām anīkāni vijagāhe mahārathaḥ ||
Protégé par ces cinq champions d’élite, Bhīṣma—taureau parmi les Bhārata—s’avança en grand guerrier de char et se jeta au cœur des formations des Pāṇḍava.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and practical dimension of leadership in war: even the greatest warrior advances effectively when supported and protected by capable allies, pointing to disciplined cooperation and responsibility within kṣatriya-duty.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma, shielded by five elite chariot-warriors, breaks into the Pāṇḍava battle-formations, signaling an escalation in the day’s combat and a coordinated Kuru offensive.