Shloka 896
सह भीष्मेण सर्वेषां प्रापतन् हृदयानि नः । महाराज! महात्मा पितामह भीष्मको रथसे नीचे गिरते देखकर हम सब लोगोंके हृदय भी उनके साथ ही गिर पड़े
saha bhīṣmeṇa sarveṣāṃ prāpatann hṛdayāni naḥ | mahārāja! mahātmā pitāmaha bhīṣmako rathase nīce girate dekhakara hama saba logoṃke hṛdaya bhī unke sātha hī gira paṛe |
Sañjaya said: “O King, when the great-souled grandsire Bhīṣma fell down from his chariot, it was as though the hearts of all of us fell with him. Seeing that venerable elder brought low in battle, our courage and inner steadiness collapsed, for he stood as the very pillar of our cause and the embodiment of martial duty.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the fall of a righteous and formidable elder shakes an entire community: moral authority and leadership sustain collective courage, and when such a pillar is struck down, even strong warriors experience inner collapse. It underscores the human cost of war and the dependence of armies on exemplars of dharma and discipline.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that when Bhīṣma, the revered grandsire of the Kuru line, is seen falling from his chariot in battle, the hearts of the Kaurava side sink with him—signaling a dramatic turning point and widespread despair among those who relied on Bhīṣma’s protection and prowess.