Shloka 36
Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)
वामे चक्रे वर्तमाना: के5घ्नन् संजय सूंजयान् । अग्रतो5ग्र्यमनीकेषु के भ्यरक्षन् दुरासदम्,संजय! उनके बायें चक्रकी रक्षामें तत्पर होकर किन-किन योद्धाओंने सूंजयवंशियोंका विनाश किया था? तथा किन्होंने आगे रहकर सेनाके अग्रणी दुर्जय वीर भीष्मकी सब ओरसे रक्षा की थी?
vāme cakre vartamānāḥ ke ghnan sañjaya sūñjayān | agrato 'gryam anīkeṣu ke 'bhyarakṣan durāsadaṃ sañjaya ||
ທ້າວ ທຣິຕຣາສະຕຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ສັນຊະຍະ, ນັກຮົບໃດບ້າງຢູ່ປີກຊ້າຍ ມຸ່ງໝັ້ນປົກປ້ອງປີກນັ້ນ ແລະໄດ້ຟັນຟາດພວກສູນຊະຍະ? ແລະໃຜບ້າງຢືນນຳໜ້າ ໃນຫມວດທັບຊັ້ນເລີດ ຄຸ້ມຄອງພຣະວີຣະ ພີສະມະ ຜູ້ຍາກຈະເຂົ້າຈູ່ໂຈມ ຈາກທຸກທິດ?»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and strategic weight of war-leadership: armies do not move as anonymous masses—responsibility is distributed through roles (left-wing defense, vanguard protection). Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s questions underscore accountability for violence (who killed whom) and for safeguarding a commander, reminding the listener that outcomes arise from deliberate choices and assigned duties.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya for a detailed report of the battle: which Kaurava warriors held the left wing and destroyed the Sūñjayas, and which warriors stood at the front to protect the formidable Bhīṣma on all sides. It is a tactical inquiry aimed at understanding how Bhīṣma’s position was secured and how the fighting unfolded in specific sectors.