Shloka 45
ते हन्यमाना: पार्थन भीष्म शान्तनवं ययु: । अगाधे मज्जमानानां भीष्म: पोतो5भवत् तदा
te hanyamānāḥ pārthān bhīṣmaśāntanavaṁ yayuḥ | agādhe majjamānānāṁ bhīṣmaḥ poto 'bhavat tadā ||
Sañjaya dit : Tandis qu’ils étaient frappés et abattus, les guerriers se tournèrent vers Bhīṣma, fils de Śāntanu. Pour ceux qui s’enfonçaient dans les profondeurs insondables du combat, Bhīṣma devint alors tel un bac : un refuge immédiat et le moyen de franchir le péril.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a moral and strategic crisis, people instinctively seek a steady protector; the verse uses the image of a ferry-boat to show how a leader’s firmness and reputation can become a lifeline for those overwhelmed by danger.
As the combat intensifies and warriors are being struck, they rally toward Bhīṣma. He functions as their main support on the battlefield, compared to a boat rescuing those who are drowning in deep waters.