Shloka 316
भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः
Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed
आजपघानोरससि क्रुद्ध इच्छन् भीष्मस्य जीवितम् । तदनन्तर भीष्मके जीवनकी रक्षा चाहनेवाले कृपाचार्यने समरांगणमें भार सहन करनेमें समर्थ दूसरा धनुष लेकर अत्यन्त हर्षके साथ सहदेवकी छातीमें क्रोधपूर्वक दस तीखे बाण मारे
ājapaghānorasasi kruddha icchan bhīṣmasya jīvitam | tadanantaraṃ bhīṣmake jīvanakī rakṣā cāhanevāle kṛpācāryane samarāṅgaṇeṃ bhāra sahan karanemeṃ samartha dūsarā dhanuṣ lekar atyanta harṣake sāth sahadevaki chātīmeṃ krodhapūrvak daśa tīkṣṇa bāṇ māre |
Sañjaya berkata: Dengan amarah menyala dan berniat meragut nyawa Bhīṣma, dia terus menekan serangan. Lalu Kṛpācārya—yang ingin melindungi nyawa Bhīṣma—mengangkat busur yang lain, mampu menanggung beban gelanggang perang, dan dengan murka yang keras namun tekad yang girang, memanah Sahadeva di dada dengan sepuluh anak panah tajam.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, actions are often framed as dharma-driven obligations—here, the duty of a senior warrior to protect a revered commander (Bhishma). Yet the passage also shows the ethical tension: protective loyalty can manifest through violence, perpetuating escalation.
As an attack threatens Bhishma’s life, Kripacharya intervenes on the battlefield, takes up a strong bow, and shoots Sahadeva in the chest with ten sharp arrows to repel the threat and safeguard Bhishma.