Shloka 266
भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements
वार्ष्णेयो विनदन् राजन् भूरिश्रवसम भ्ययात् । राजन! वे दसों वीर वज्रके मारे हुए वृक्षोंकी भाँति रणभूमिमें मरकर गिर पड़े। उन महाबली पुत्रोंको संग्राममें मारा गया देख वीरवर सात्यकिने गर्जना करते हुए वहाँ भूरिश्रवापर आक्रमण किया
sañjaya uvāca | vārṣṇeyo vinadan rājan bhūriśravasam abhyayāt | rājann ete daśa vīrā vajrakeṇa māritā vṛkṣā iva raṇabhūmau mṛtvā nipetuḥ | tān mahābalīn putrān saṅgrāme hatān dṛṣṭvā vīravaraḥ sātyakiḥ garjan tatra bhūriśravasi abhyakrāmat |
Sañjaya said: “O King, the Vārṣṇeya warrior, roaring aloud, advanced against Bhūriśravas. O King, those ten heroes, struck down by Vajraka, fell dead upon the battlefield like trees felled by a thunderbolt. Seeing those mighty sons slain in the fight, the foremost of warriors, Sātyaki, with a lion-like cry, rushed there to assail Bhūriśravas.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how battlefield grief and the sight of fallen kin can immediately harden into retaliatory resolve. It reflects the kṣatriya ethos where honor and duty in war often propel swift counter-attack, while also implicitly showing the tragic chain of violence—death begets further violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Sātyaki (called Vārṣṇeya) roars and advances against Bhūriśravas. Ten heroes have been slain by Vajraka and fall like trees; seeing those mighty sons killed, Sātyaki, enraged and shouting, rushes to attack Bhūriśravas.