Shloka 39
सर्वलोकेश्वरस्येव परमेष्ठिप्रजापते: । कथं प्रहर्तुमपि ते शेकु: संजय पाण्डवा:,संजय! भीष्मजी सम्पूर्ण लोकोंके स्वामी परमेष्ठी प्रजापति ब्रह्माजीके समान अजेय थे; फिर पाण्डव उनके ऊपर कैसे प्रहार कर सके?
sarvalokeśvarasyeva parameṣṭhi-prajāpateḥ | kathaṁ prahartum api te śekuḥ sañjaya pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Sañjaya, Bhīṣma tidak terkalahkan, laksana Brahmā Sang Pencipta—Parameṣṭhin, penguasa keturunan, raja segala alam. Maka bagaimana mungkin para Pāṇḍava sanggup, bahkan untuk memukulnya?”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between reverence for an elder and the demands of kṣatriya duty in a righteous war: even an exalted, seemingly invincible figure may have to be opposed when aligned with adharma, yet the act of striking such a person remains morally weighty.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing of the battle, expresses astonishment and disbelief that the Pāṇḍavas could attack Bhīṣma, whom he praises as nearly Brahmā-like in power and unassailability, and he asks Sañjaya to explain how such an attack was possible.