Shloka 51
Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
ततो भीष्म: कुरुश्रेष्ठ सिंहवद् विनदन् मुहुः । धनंजयरथं शीघ्र॑ शरवर्षरवाकिरत्,कुरुश्रेष्ठ! तदनन्तर भीष्म सिंहके समान बारंबार गर्जना करते हुए अर्जुनके रथपर शीघ्रतापूर्वक बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे
tato bhīṣmaḥ kuruśreṣṭha siṁhavad vinadan muhuḥ | dhanañjayarathaṁ śīghraṁ śaravarṣaravākirat ||
Sañjaya said: Then Bhīṣma, O best of the Kurus, roaring again and again like a lion, swiftly covered Dhanañjaya’s chariot with a loud, rain-like shower of arrows—an act that intensifies the battle’s ferocity while displaying the warrior’s resolve and mastery of arms within the accepted code of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: steadfastness, courage, and disciplined martial action within the battlefield code. Bhīṣma’s lion-like roar and swift arrow-shower symbolize unwavering resolve and the intensity of duty-bound combat, even against a formidable opponent.
Sañjaya narrates that Bhīṣma, repeatedly roaring like a lion, rapidly unleashes a dense, thunderous shower of arrows onto Arjuna’s chariot, escalating the direct confrontation between the grandsire and Dhanañjaya.