Shloka 21

Devanagari script

भीष्मस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठो भीमसेनं महाबलम्‌ । अवारयत संक्रुद्ध: सर्वसैन्यस्थ पश्यत:,रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ भीष्मने कुपित होकर सब सेनाओंके देखते-देखते महाबली भीमसेनको रोक दिया

Transliteration

bhīṣmas tu rathināṃ śreṣṭho bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam | avārayat saṃkruddhaḥ sarvasainyastha-paśyataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Bhīṣma, yang terunggul antara para pahlawan berkereta, dengan murka menahan Bhīmasena yang maha perkasa—dan melakukannya secara terbuka di hadapan mata seluruh bala tentera yang berhimpun.

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

तुbut/indeed

रथिनाम्of the chariot-warriors

श्रेष्ठःthe best

भीमसेनम्Bhimasena

महाबलम्mighty-strong

अवारयत्checked/stopped

संक्रुद्धःenraged

सर्वसैन्यस्थैःby those stationed in the whole army (i.e., by all the troops present)

पश्यताम्while (they were) looking; in the presence of onlookers

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

the assembled armies (Kaurava and Pāṇḍava hosts)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma: a commander’s responsibility to restrain a dangerous surge in the fight, even against a renowned hero, and how senior authority and skill can redirect the course of combat for the perceived greater good of one’s side.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Sañjaya reports the battle, Bhīṣma—preeminent among chariot-fighters—becomes angry and directly intercepts Bhīma, stopping his advance in full view of both armies.