Shloka 40
भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः
Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead
सोअन्यत् कार्मुकमादाय भीष्मस्य प्रमुखे स्थित: । अर्जुनं पञ्चविंशत्या बाह्दोरुरसि चार्पयत्,तब दुःशासनने दूसरा धनुष ले भीष्मके सामने खड़े होकर अर्जुनकी दोनों भुजाओं और छातीमें पचीस बाण मारे
so 'nyat kārmukam ādāya bhīṣmasya pramukhe sthitaḥ | arjunaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā bāhvor urasi cārpayat ||
Sañjaya said: Then Duhśāsana took up another bow and, standing before Bhīṣma, struck Arjuna—on both arms and on the chest—with twenty-five arrows. The scene underscores the relentless escalation of violence in battle, where prowess and loyalty to one’s side drive repeated assaults even under the gaze of revered elders.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the dharma of battle, combatants persist with determined aggression, yet the narrative also invites reflection on the moral cost of such escalation—especially when violence is enacted under the eyes of venerable figures like Bhīṣma.
Duhśāsana, switching to another bow, positions himself before Bhīṣma and shoots Arjuna, landing twenty-five arrows on Arjuna’s arms and chest, as Sañjaya reports the unfolding combat.