Shloka 52
भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्
Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash
ततोर्'्जुनो भृशं क्रुद्धों निविद्धं प्रेक्ष्य माधवम्,इति श्रीमहा भारते भीष्मपर्वणि भीष्मवधपर्वणि भीष्मार्जुनयुद्धे द्विपज्चाशत्तमोडध्याय:
tato 'rjuno bhṛśaṁ kruddho nividdhaṁ prekṣya mādhavam | iti śrīmahābhārate bhīṣmaparvaṇi bhīṣmavadhaparvaṇi bhīṣmārjunayuddhe dvipañcāśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian Arjuna, sangat murka ketika melihat Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) tertusuk, memandang baginda seolah-olah menegur. Maka demikianlah, dalam Mahābhārata, dalam Bhīṣma Parva—pada bahagian tentang kejatuhan Bhīṣma—berakhirlah bab kelima puluh dua yang menghuraikan pertempuran antara Bhīṣma dan Arjuna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical pressure of righteous warfare: even a disciplined hero like Arjuna can be overtaken by anger, and in that moment he turns to Krishna—symbol of discernment and dharmic guidance—implying that moral clarity and self-control are sustained through wise counsel rather than raw emotion.
During the intense Bhishma–Arjuna confrontation, Arjuna becomes extremely angry and casts a reproachful look toward his charioteer Krishna (Madhava), suggesting frustration at the unfolding battle situation; the line also functions as a colophon marking the close of the chapter in the Bhishma Parva’s Bhishma-fall section.