Shloka 36
भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः
Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed
तत्र तौ नरशार्दूलौ भीष्महेतो: परंतपौ | अन्योन्यं जध्नतुर्वीरो गोष्ठे गोवृषभाविव
tatra tau naraśārdūlau bhīṣma-hetoḥ parantapau | anyonyaṃ jadhnatuḥ vīrau goṣṭhe govṛṣabhāv iva ||
サञ्जयは言った。「そこでは、虎のごとき二人の勇士—ともに敵を苦しめる者—が、ビ―シュマのために互いへ致命の一撃を浴びせ合い、まるで牛舎の中で二頭の牡牛が角を突き合わせるように戦っていた。主将への忠誠と陣営の義務が、血縁の者同士をも容赦なき戦いへ駆り立てることが示される。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tragic ethical tension of war: even noble, ‘lion-like’ kinsmen may become mutually destructive when bound by allegiance and battlefield duty. Loyalty to a leader (here, Bhīṣma) can intensify conflict, showing how dharma in war often operates through competing obligations rather than simple moral clarity.
Sañjaya describes Vikarṇa and Nakula engaging in fierce, reciprocal attacks in the midst of battle, motivated by the need to defend/support Bhīṣma. Their combat is compared to two bulls fighting in a cattle-yard, emphasizing raw force and relentless rivalry.