Shloka 3
Adhyāya 108 — Nimitta-darśana and Drona’s counsel amid Arjuna’s advance (निमित्तदर्शनं द्रोणोपदेशश्च)
तस्य कार्य त्वया वीर रक्षणं सुमहात्मन:
tasya kāryaṁ tvayā vīra rakṣaṇaṁ sumahātmanaḥ |
Sañjaya disse: “Ó herói, é teu dever proteger Bhīṣma, esse grande de alma. Se nosso avô Bhīṣma permanecer a salvo na batalha, ele se empenhará pela vitória no campo e causará a destruição dos Pāṇḍavas juntamente com os Pāñcālas.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames protection of a key elder-warrior as a warrior’s obligation (kārya), showing how dharma in a royal-war context can be expressed as loyalty to one’s side and strategic safeguarding of a decisive leader—while also hinting at the grave ethical weight of seeking victory through large-scale destruction.
Sañjaya reports counsel urging a warrior to ensure Bhīṣma’s safety. The reasoning is tactical: if Bhīṣma is kept secure on the battlefield, he will press for victory and is expected to devastate the opposing forces, specifically the Pāṇḍavas and their Pāñcāla allies.