Shloka 21
भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः
Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed
तद् युद्धमासीत् सुमहत् तयोस्तत्र समागमे । यदाभ्यधावद् गाड़ेयं शिखण्डी शत्रुकर्शन:
tad yuddham āsīt sumahat tayos tatra samāgame | yadābhyadhāvad gāṅgeyaṃ śikhaṇḍī śatrukarśanaḥ ||
तब उन दोनों सेनाओं के आमने-सामने आते ही घोर संग्राम छिड़ गया; उसी क्षण शत्रुओं का संहार करने वाला शिखण्डी गङ्गानन्दन भीष्म पर वेग से टूट पड़ा।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pivotal actions by principal warriors can unleash large-scale consequences in war, intensifying both strategic pressure and ethical tension—especially when the target is a figure like Bhīṣma, bound by vows and dharma yet caught in a catastrophic conflict.
Sañjaya reports that a massive fight erupted at the encounter of the two sides precisely when Śikhaṇḍī rushed to attack Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya), signaling a major escalation on the battlefield.