Shloka 24
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
अभिप्रयातां समिति ज्ञात्वा ये प्रतियान्त्यथ । तेषां स्यन्दन्ति गात्राणि योधानां विजयस्य च
abhiprayātāṃ samitiṃ jñātvā ye pratiyānty atha | teṣāṃ syandanti gātrāṇi yodhānāṃ vijayasya ca ||
Bhīṣma déclara : «Sachant que la bataille s’est offerte et s’est approchée, ceux qui s’élancent à sa rencontre voient leurs membres se couvrir de perles de sueur — une ivresse née de l’espoir de la victoire.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse observes the warrior’s mindset: when battle is imminent, the hope of victory can generate intense exhilaration that shows itself physically (sweat). It implicitly points to how powerful ambition and martial zeal are, and how inner states precede outward action.
Bhishma is describing what occurs when fighters realize that the battle has arrived: they charge forward to meet it, and their bodies begin to perspire from excitement and anticipation of winning.