Shloka 54
ततस्तस्य च तेषां च युद्धे देवासुरोपमे । किरीटी भीष्ममागच्छत् पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्
tatas tasya ca teṣāṁ ca yuddhe devāsuropame | kirīṭī bhīṣmam āgacchat puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam ||
そののち、彼と彼らとの戦いは、神々とアスラの伝説の戦争にも比すべき恐るべき激戦となった。そのさなか、宝冠を戴くアルジュナは、シカンディンを前に立ててビ―シュマへと迫った。この光景は戦の苛烈な倫理を示す――策は力のみで決まるのではなく、誓いと名誉、そして殺戮の渦中にあってなお武人が認める道徳的制約によっても形づくられるのである。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, action is constrained by dharma-like commitments and personal vows; strategy often exploits acknowledged ethical limits (here, Bhishma’s reluctance to fight Shikhandi), showing how moral reputation can shape outcomes as much as force.
Sanjaya describes the battle becoming as fierce as a gods-versus-demons war. At that moment Arjuna advances toward Bhishma, deliberately placing Shikhandi at the front, a tactical move aimed at neutralizing Bhishma’s resistance and enabling Arjuna to press the attack.