Shloka 51
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
ततस्तु नृपतिः क्रुद्धों भीमसेनं स्तनान्तरे
tatastu nṛpatiḥ kruddho bhīmasenaṃ stanāntare
Sañjaya said: Then the king, inflamed with anger, struck at Bhīmasena in the region of the chest—an act revealing how wrath on the battlefield drives even rulers toward direct, bodily violence rather than measured restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how krodha (anger) can overtake judgment in war, pushing a ruler toward immediate physical aggression; it implicitly contrasts impulsive wrath with the ideal of disciplined, dharmic conduct even in battle.
Sañjaya reports that an enraged king attacks Bhīmasena, aiming at his chest/torso, marking an intense moment of close combat within the Bhīṣma Parva battle narration.