Shloka 21
भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः
Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead
अभिद्रवत संरब्धा भीष्ममेक॑ महाबलम् । एषोअर्जुनो रणे भीष्म प्रयाति कुरुनन्दन:
abhidravata saṃrabdhā bhīṣmam ekaṃ mahābalam | eṣo 'rjuno raṇe bhīṣma prayāti kurunandanaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Rushing forward in fierce resolve toward Bhīṣma alone, the mighty one—look, Bhīṣma—Arjuna, the delight of the Kurus, advances into battle.” The line underscores Arjuna’s focused intent to confront the foremost elder-warrior, highlighting the tension between duty in war and the moral weight of facing a revered patriarch.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights single-pointed resolve in the performance of one’s duty (kṣatriya-dharma) even when the opponent is a revered elder. It frames the ethical tension of righteous war: commitment to responsibility must be balanced with awareness of the moral gravity of whom one confronts.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, intensely determined, is charging straight toward Bhīṣma on the battlefield, signaling a direct and consequential engagement with the Kuru grandsire.