Shloka 11
भीष्मं शान्तनवं दृष्टवा विशीर्णकवचध्वजम् । कुरव: पर्यवर्तन्त पाण्डवाश्न विशाम्पते,प्रजानाथ! जिनके कवच और ध्वज छिजन्न-भिन्न हो गये थे, उन शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मजीको उस अवस्थामें देखकर कौरव और पाण्डव दोनों ही उन्हें घेरकर खड़े हो गये
bhīṣmaṃ śāntanavaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśīrṇakavacadhvajam | kuravaḥ paryavartanta pāṇḍavāś ca viśāṃpate prajānātha ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, with his armor shattered and his banner torn, the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas—O lord of the people, O protector of subjects—both turned back and stood surrounding him. The scene underscores how even amid relentless battle, the fall or weakening of a revered elder momentarily arrests hostility and draws both sides into a shared recognition of stature, duty, and the tragic cost of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a righteous war framed by duty, the sight of a venerable elder brought low evokes a shared moral pause: respect for greatness and the recognition that victory is inseparable from suffering. The verse highlights how dharma includes reverence and restraint, not merely combativeness.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīṣma—Śāntanu’s son—has been seen with his armor and banner badly damaged. In response, both the Kaurava and Pāṇḍava forces turn and gather around him, surrounding him on the battlefield.