Shloka 15
भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception
महाराज! भीम, द्रौपदीके पाँचों पुत्र, पाँचों भाई केकयराजकुमार, सात्वतवंशी सात्यकि, युधिष्ठिर आदि पाण्डव-सैनिक तथा धृष्टद्युम्न आदि पांचाल-सैनिक द्रुपदकी रक्षाके लिये गंगानन्दन भीष्मपर टूट पड़े ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
mahārāja! bhīmaḥ, draupadyāḥ pañca putrāḥ, pañca bhrātaraḥ kaikeyarājakumārāḥ, sātvata-vaṃśī sātyakiḥ, yudhiṣṭhirādayaḥ pāṇḍava-sainikāḥ tathā dhṛṣṭadyumnādayaḥ pāñcāla-sainikāḥ drupadasya rakṣārthaṃ gaṅgā-nandanaṃ bhīṣmam prati tutruvuḥ ||
tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve bhīṣma-rakṣārtham udyatāḥ |
pratyudyayuḥ pāṇḍu-senāṃ saha-sainyā nara-adhipa, nara-īśvara! ||
Sanjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja! Bhīma, kelima putra Draupadī, lima pangeran bersaudara dari Kekaya, Sātyaki dari wangsa Sātvata, pasukan Pāṇḍava yang dipimpin Yudhiṣṭhira, dan bala Pāñcāla yang dipimpin Dhṛṣṭadyumna—semuanya, demi melindungi Drupada, menerjang Bhīṣma, putra Gaṅgā. Demikian pula, wahai penguasa manusia, seluruh prajuritmu yang bertekad menjaga Bhīṣma maju bersama bala tentaranya dan melancarkan serbuan balasan terhadap pasukan Pāṇḍava.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of protection and loyalty: each side rallies to defend its key elder/ally—Drupada for the Pāṇḍavas and Bhīṣma for the Kauravas—showing how duty and allegiance drive action even amid morally complex warfare.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that major Pāṇḍava-aligned warriors (Bhīma, Sātyaki, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the Upapāṇḍavas, Kekaya princes, and others) surge to protect Drupada by attacking Bhīṣma; in response, the Kaurava forces counter-advance to shield Bhīṣma and meet the Pāṇḍava army.