Shloka 33
Adhyāya 112: Bhīṣma-prati Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ
Arjuna’s Forward Drive Toward Bhīṣma
पज्चालानां च ये श्रेष्ठा राजपुत्रा महारथा: । तेषामादत्त तेजांसि जल सूर्य इवांशुभि:,जैसे सूर्य अपनी किरणोंद्वारा धरतीका जल सोख लेते हैं, उसी प्रकार भीष्मजीने पांचालोंमें जो श्रेष्ठ महारथी राजकुमार थे, उन सबके तेज हर लिये
pañcālānāṃ ca ye śreṣṭhā rājaputrā mahārathāḥ | teṣām ādatta tejāṃsi jalaṃ sūrya ivāṃśubhiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “And among the Pāñcālas, those foremost princes—great chariot-warriors—Bhīṣma drew away their splendor and fighting spirit, just as the sun, by its rays, drinks up the water.” The image underscores how a single, disciplined warrior can diminish the confidence and momentum of many, not merely by force but by overwhelming presence on the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how tejas—martial brilliance, confidence, and commanding presence—can decide outcomes in war. Ethical context: in kṣatriya-dharma, steadfast prowess and discipline can break an opponent’s morale; victory is not only physical but also psychological.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma, on the battlefield, overwhelms the foremost Pāñcāla princes who are great chariot-warriors, draining their ‘tejas’—their fighting spirit and effectiveness—like the sun evaporating water with its rays.