Shloka 8
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ७२: सैन्यगुणवर्णनम्, व्यूहरक्षा, दैव-पुरुषकारचिन्ता
अशोभत मुखे तस्य भीमसेनो महाबल: । नेत्रे शिखण्डी दुर्धर्षो धृष्टद्युम्नश्व॒ पार्षत:
sañjaya uvāca |
aśobhat mukhe tasya bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ |
etre śikhaṇḍī durdharṣo dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ ||
उस व्यूह के मुखभाग में महाबली भीमसेन शोभा पा रहे थे। उसके नेत्रों के स्थान पर दुर्धर्ष शिखण्डी और पार्षत (पृषतपुत्र) धृष्टद्युम्न स्थित थे।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic warfare’s demand for disciplined organization and responsible leadership: strength (Bhīma) must be guided by clear vision and command (the ‘eyes’ as Śikhaṇḍin and Dhṛṣṭadyumna), so that power serves a principled objective rather than mere aggression.
Sañjaya describes the Pāṇḍavas forming the Śyena (hawk) battle-array. Bhīma stands at the front, while Śikhaṇḍin and Dhṛṣṭadyumna occupy the crucial forward positions likened to the formation’s eyes.