Shloka 21
भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array
श्रुतायुथश्षित्रसेन: पुरुमित्रो विविंशति:
śrutāyudhaś citrasenaḥ purumitro viviṁśatiḥ | syandanair varavarmāṇo bhīṣmasyāsan purogamāḥ ||
ສັນຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ສຣຸຕາຍຸທະ, ຈິຕຣະເສນະ, ປຸຣຸມິຕຣະ, ແລະ ວິວິໍມສະຕິ—ຂຶ້ນລົດຮົບ ແລະ ສວມເກາະອັນງາມ—ໄດ້ຂັບໄປໃນກອງນໍາ ຢູ່ກ່ອນພີສະມະ».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical seriousness of command in war: arranging a vanguard is not merely display but a responsibility, since leaders decide who bears the first impact. It reflects kṣatriya-dharma in its strategic dimension—courage and protection of the main commander—while implicitly raising the moral weight of sending others forward.
Sanjaya describes the Kaurava advance: named warriors, mounted on chariots and wearing fine armor, move ahead as the forward guard before Bhīṣma, indicating the formation and momentum of the army at the opening of battle movements.