Shloka 43
भीष्मरक्षण-प्रकरणम् / The Protective Screen around Bhīṣma and the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Clash
एतच्छुत्वा तु ते सर्वे दुर्योधनवचस्तदा । सर्वतो रथवंशेन गाज़ेयं पर्यवारयन्,उस समय दुर्योधनकी यह बात सुनकर उन सब वीरोंने रथकी विशाल सेनाद्वारा गंगानन्दन भीष्मको सब ओरसे घेर लिया
etac chrutvā tu te sarve duryodhana-vacas tadā | sarvato ratha-vaṁśena gāṅgeyaṁ paryavārayan ||
Sañjaya said: Hearing Duryodhana’s words at that moment, all those warriors, from every side, surrounded Bhīṣma—the son of the Gaṅgā—by means of their massed chariots. The scene underscores how a commander’s directive can swiftly turn into collective action on the battlefield, tightening the net around a single, pivotal elder whose presence carries both strategic weight and moral authority.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how spoken intent and command in a war setting rapidly become coordinated collective action. It also frames Bhīṣma as a morally weighty figure—an elder bound by duty—around whom strategy and ethical tension converge.
After Duryodhana speaks, the assembled warriors respond immediately by forming a chariot-host and encircling Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya) from all directions, indicating a tactical move to contain or protect/control the battlefield around him.