Shloka 78
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
पितामहवच: श्रुत्वा तथा चक्कु: सम कौरवा: | उपायेनापयानं ते घटोत्कचभयार्दिता:,पितामह भीष्मकी यह बात सुनकर कौरवोंने उपाय-पूर्वक युद्धसे हट जाना स्वीकार कर लिया; क्योंकि उस समय वे घटोत्कचके भयसे पीड़ित थे
sañjaya uvāca | pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā tathā cakṣuḥ-sama kauravāḥ | upāyenāpayānaṃ te ghaṭotkaca-bhayārditāḥ ||
સંજય બોલ્યો— પિતામહ ભીષ્મના વચન સાંભળીને કૌરવોએ ઉપાયપૂર્વક યુદ્ધમાંથી પાછા હટવાનું સ્વીકારી લીધું; કારણ કે તે સમયે તેઓ ઘટોત્કચના ભયથી પીડિત હતા.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores battlefield prudence: counsel from an elder commander (Bhīṣma) can restrain impulsive valor, and strategic withdrawal may be ethically preferable to futile slaughter when conditions are unfavorable and fear has destabilized troops.
Sañjaya reports that, after hearing Bhīṣma’s words, the Kauravas consent to pull back from the fight by a calculated means, because Ghaṭotkaca’s terrifying prowess has thrown them into fear and distress.