Shloka 4
Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
जयं प्राप्तेषु हृष्टेु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञ: पिता देवव्रतस्तव,संजयने कहा--भारत! उस दिन जब पूर्वह्नकालका अधिक भाग व्यतीत हो गया, सूर्यदेव पश्चिम दिशामें जाकर स्थित हुए और विजयको प्राप्त हुए महामना पाण्डव खुशी मनाने लगे, उस समय सब धर्मोके विशेषज्ञ आपके ताऊ भीष्मजीने वेगशाली अअश्रोंद्वारा पाण्डवोंकी सेनापर आक्रमण किया। उनके साथ विशाल सेना चली और आपके पुत्र सब ओरसे उनकी रक्षा करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | jayaṃ prāpteṣu hṛṣṭeṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | sarvadharmaviśeṣajñaḥ pitā devavratas tava |
Sanjaya said: When the high-souled Pāṇḍavas had gained victory and were rejoicing, your father’s uncle Devavrata (Bhīṣma)—a master knower of the subtle distinctions of dharma—then advanced against the Pāṇḍava host with swift, powerful missiles. A vast force moved with him, while your sons guarded him on every side. The scene underscores the tension between righteous discernment (dharma-jñāna) and the grim necessities of war, where even the most dharma-wise elder must act as a commander in battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even one who deeply understands dharma may be compelled by role and allegiance to act within the harsh framework of war. The verse highlights dharma as nuanced (viśeṣa), requiring discernment, yet also shows how social duty and battlefield obligation can force action that is ethically weighty.
After the Pāṇḍavas gain an advantage and rejoice, Bhīṣma (Devavrata), supported and protected by the Kauravas, launches a renewed assault on the Pāṇḍava forces with powerful weapons, shifting the momentum back into fierce combat.