Shloka 30
Bhīṣma’s Retrospective of the Jāmadagnya Rāma Encounter
Divyāstra-Pratiyuddha and Twilight Cessation
एवं राजन्नवहारो बभूव ततः पुनर्विमले$भूत् सुघोरम् । कल्यं कल्यं विंशतिं वै दिनानि तथैव चान्यानि दिनानि त्रीणि
evaṁ rājann avahāro babhūva tataḥ punaḥ vimale 'bhūt sughoram | kalyaṁ kalyaṁ viṁśatiṁ vai dināni tathaiva cānyāni dināni trīṇi |
Bhishma berkata: “Demikianlah, wahai raja, setiap hari pertempuran akan terhenti; kemudian, tatkala fajar yang jernih menyingsing, pertempuran kembali menjadi amat menggerunkan. Dengan cara ini, hari demi hari, selama dua puluh hari—dan demikian juga tiga hari lagi—pertempuran kami berterusan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the regulated rhythm of warfare—cessation at day’s end and renewed engagement at dawn—suggesting that even in violent conflict there were recognized limits and discipline, reflecting a kṣatriya code that frames war within time-bound order rather than unbroken chaos.
Bhishma recounts to the king that fighting would stop at the close of day and resume fiercely at dawn, and that this pattern continued for twenty days plus three more—i.e., twenty-three days of sustained combat following this daily cycle.