Shloka 186
भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः
Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead
दुःशासनो महेष्वासो वारयामास संयुगे | महाराज! दसों दिशाओंको प्रकाशित करते हुए वेगशाली वीर अर्जुन युद्धमें शिखण्डीको आगे करके भीष्मको मारना चाहते थे। उस समय महाधनुर्धर दुःशासनने युद्धके मैदानमें आकर उन्हें रोका
duḥśāsano maheṣvāso vārayāmāsa saṃyuge | mahārāja! daśo diśāḥ prakāśayann iva vegavān vīro 'rjunaḥ yuddhe śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya bhīṣmaṃ hantum aicchat | tadā mahādhanurdharo duḥśāsano raṇāṅgaṇam āgatya taṃ nyavārayat |
Sanjaya said: O King, as the swift hero Arjuna seemed to illumine the ten directions, he sought in battle to strike down Bhishma, placing Shikhandi in front. At that moment, Duhshasana—mighty archer—came onto the battlefield and checked him. The scene underscores how, amid the clash of arms, warriors deliberately employ strategy and counter-strategy, and how the pursuit of victory can hinge on contested means and moral tensions surrounding the fall of an elder like Bhishma.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical strain within dharma-yuddha: even when the goal is to end a formidable elder-warrior like Bhishma, victory is pursued through tactical arrangements (placing Shikhandi before him) and met by immediate resistance. It invites reflection on how duty, strategy, and moral ambiguity intersect in war.
Arjuna advances with great force, intending to bring down Bhishma while using Shikhandi as the forward screen. Duhshasana enters the fray and blocks Arjuna’s attempt, momentarily preventing the decisive strike.