Shloka 24
Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)
यच्छिखण्डिमुखा: सर्वे पाण्डवा भीष्ममभ्ययु: । कच्चित् ते कुरव: सर्वे नाजहु: संजयाच्युतम्,संजय! जब शिखण्डी आदि समस्त पाण्डव वीरोंने भीष्मपर आक्रमण किया, उस समय समस्त कौरवोंने कहीं अच्युत भीष्मका साथ छोड़ तो नहीं दिया था?
yac chikhāṇḍimukhāḥ sarve pāṇḍavā bhīṣmam abhyayuḥ | kaccit te kuravaḥ sarve nājahuḥ sañjayācyutam ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra bertanya: “Sañjaya, ketika semua kesatria Pāṇḍava maju menyerang Bhīṣma dengan Śikhaṇḍin di barisan depan, apakah semua Kuru benar-benar tidak meninggalkan Bhīṣma yang teguh itu pada saat itu?”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of loyalty and protection of a commander in crisis: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s concern implies that abandoning a steadfast elder-warrior like Bhīṣma at the decisive moment would be a grave failure of kṣatriya duty and collective responsibility.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about the battlefield moment when the Pāṇḍavas, with Śikhaṇḍin in front, press their attack on Bhīṣma; he anxiously asks whether the Kuru warriors stood by Bhīṣma or deserted him under pressure.