Shloka 23

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

किमु भीष्मो रणे वीरा गतसत्त्वोडल्पजीवित: । धृष्टद्युम्न अपने सैनिकोंसे बारंबार पुकार-पुकारकर कहने लगे--“वीरो! तुम सब लोग उत्साहित होकर एकमात्र महाबली भीष्मपर आक्रमण करो। ये कुरुकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले अर्जुन रणक्षेत्रमें भीष्मपर चढ़ाई करते हैं। तुम भी उनपर टूट पड़ो। डरो मत। भीष्म तुमलोगोंको नहीं पा सकेंगे। इन्द्र भी समरांगणमें अर्जुनके साथ युद्ध करनेमें समर्थ नहीं हो सकते; फिर ये धैर्य और शक्तिसे शून्य भीष्म रणक्षेत्रमें उनका सामना कैसे कर सकते हैं? अब इनका जीवन थोड़ा ही शेष रहा है” || २०--२२ है || इति सेनापते: श्रुत्वा पाण्डवानां महारथा:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | kimu bhīṣmo raṇe vīrā gata-sattvo 'lpa-jīvitaḥ |

Translation

Sanjaya said: “O heroes, what can Bhishma do in battle now—his spirit spent and his life-force running thin?” (Thus the Pandava commander repeatedly urged his troops to rally their courage and strike together at Bhishma, framing the assault as both a tactical necessity and a moral boost for his side.)

Word by Word

किमुwhat indeed?/how much more?

भीष्मःBhishma

रणेin battle

वीराःO heroes

गतसत्त्वःone whose strength/spirit is gone

अल्पजीवितःhaving little life left/short-lived (now)

इतिthus

सेनापतेःof the commander (of the army)

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

पाण्डवानाम्of the Pandavas

महारथाःgreat chariot-warriors

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how battlefield rhetoric is used to shape morale: by portraying a formidable opponent as weakened and near death, leaders attempt to dissolve fear and unify effort—raising ethical questions about persuasion, truth, and the psychology of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports a moment in the Kurukshetra war where Bhishma is spoken of as weakened (“spirit gone, life short”), reflecting the Pandava side’s push to concentrate their attack and break the Kuru army’s main pillar of strength.