Shloka 34
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
ततो भीमस्टत्रिभिविद्ध्वा भीष्मं शान्तनवं रणे | कृपमेकेन विव्याध कृतवर्माणमष्टभि:,तब भीमसेनने उस रणक्षेत्रमें शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मको तीन बाणोंसे घायल करके कृपाचार्यको एक और कृतवर्माको आठ बाणोंसे बेध दिया
tato bhīmas tatra tribhir viddhvā bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ raṇe | kṛpam ekena vivyādha kṛtavarmāṇam aṣṭabhiḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors Bhīma, là sur le champ de bataille, frappa Bhīṣma—fils de Śāntanu—de trois flèches ; il perça Kripa d’une seule flèche et Kṛtavarman de huit. Le récit souligne la précision inexorable de la guerre : même les anciens vénérés et les maîtres sont traités en combattants dès lors qu’ils se tiennent en armes, et la valeur se mesure à une force maîtrisée plutôt qu’à la seule colère.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-duty: once war is joined, even venerable figures like Bhishma and Kripa are engaged as armed opponents. Strength is shown through disciplined, proportionate action—targeted strikes rather than uncontrolled violence—within the grim framework of righteous warfare.
Sanjaya reports a specific exchange in the Kurukshetra war: Bhima shoots Bhishma with three arrows, then hits Kripa with one arrow, and Krtavarman with eight, marking Bhima’s aggressive advance against key Kaurava champions.