Shloka 21
भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array
श्रुतायुथश्षित्रसेन: पुरुमित्रो विविंशति:,स्यन्दनैर्वरवर्माणो भीष्मस्यासन् पुरोगमा: । श्रुतायुध, चित्रसेन, पुरुमित्र, विविंशति, शल्य, भूरिश्रवा तथा महारथी विकर्ण--ये सात महाधनुर्धर वीर रथोंपर आरूढ़ हो सुन्दर कवच धारण किये द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाको अपने आगे रखकर भीष्मके आगे-आगे चल रहे थे
śrutāyudhaś citrasenaḥ purumitro viviṁśatiḥ | syandanair varavarmāṇo bhīṣmasyāsan purogamāḥ ||
ശ്രുതായുധൻ, ചിത്രസേനൻ, പുരുമിത്രൻ, വിവിംശതി—ഉത്തമ രഥങ്ങളിൽ കയറി, ശ്രേഷ്ഠ കവചം ധരിച്ചു—ഭീഷ്മന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ അഗ്രഗാമികളായി നീങ്ങി.
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.