Shloka 8
Bhīṣma-parva Adhyāya 16 — Saṃjaya’s Boon, Bhīṣma’s Protection, and the Dawn Arraying of Armies
रथानीकान्यदृश्यन्त नगराणीव भूरिश: । अतीव शुशुभे तत्र पिता ते पूर्णचन्द्रवत्,बहुसंख्यक रथोंकी सेनाएँ नगरोंके समान दृष्टिगोचर हो रही थीं। उनके बीच आपके ताऊ भीष्मजी, पूर्ण चन्द्रमाके समान प्रकाशित हो रहे थे
sañjaya uvāca | rathānīkāny adṛśyanta nagarāṇīva bhūriśaḥ | atīva śuśubhe tatra pitā te pūrṇacandravat |
Formasi-formasi pasukan kereta perang yang amat banyak tampak bagaikan kota-kota karena besarnya dan rapatnya barisan. Di tengah-tengahnya, kakekmu Bhisma bersinar luar biasa—laksana bulan purnama.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward power and splendor—vast military arrays and a celebrated commander—can inspire confidence and awe, yet it also implicitly frames the ethical tension of war: even the most radiant leadership is set within a conflict whose consequences test dharma and responsibility.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra what is visible on the battlefield: innumerable chariot-divisions appear like cities, and Bhishma, Dhritarashtra’s revered elder, stands out among them, shining prominently as the Kuru side’s central figure.