Shloka 17
Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Survey: The Fallen and the Onset of Funeral Rites (शल्य-भगीरथ-भीष्म-द्रोणादि-दर्शनम्)
शरतल्पगतं भीष्ममूर्थ्वरेतसमच्युतम् । शयानं वीरशयने पश्य शूरनिषेविते,जो ऊध्वरेता ब्रह्मचारी रहकर कभी मर्यादासे च्युत नहीं हुए हैं, उन भीष्मको शूरसेवित वीरोचित शयन बाणशय्यापर सोते हुए देख लो
śarat-talpa-gataṃ bhīṣmam ūrdhva-retasam acyutam | śayānaṃ vīra-śayane paśya śūra-niṣevite ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: “ໂອ ອະຈຸຕະ, ເບິ່ງບີສະມະຜູ້ນອນຢູ່ເທິງຕຽງລູກສອນ—ຜູ້ຮັກສາພຣະຫມະຈັນ (brahmacarya) ຢ່າງໝັ້ນຄົງ, ພະລັງຊີວິດຖືກຍົກຂຶ້ນສູງ, ບໍ່ເຄີຍຫຼຸດຈາກຄຳປະຕິຍານ. ລາວນອນຢູ່ເທິງຕຽງຂອງວີລະຊົນ ທີ່ບັນດານັກຮົບມາບຳລຸງແລະຖວາຍກຽດ.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical steadfastness: Bhīṣma, famed for unwavering vows and brahmacarya, is portrayed as ‘acyuta’—one who does not fall from self-restraint—even amid extreme bodily suffering. It frames moral discipline as a form of inner heroism equal to martial valor.
The narrator points the listener toward Bhīṣma, who lies on the battlefield upon a bed of arrows (the śara-talpa), resting on a warrior’s couch and attended by heroes. The scene underscores both his grievous condition after battle and the reverence he still commands.