Shloka 76
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
आजपघानोरससि क्रुद्धो मार्गणैर्नवभि: शितै: । कुपित हुए दुर्योधनने भी महारथी भीमसेनको उस युद्धमें उनकी छातीको लक्ष्य करके नौ तीखे बाण मारे,लब्धलक्ष्य: प्रहारी च वयं च श्रान्तवाहना: । पाज्चालै: पाण्डवेयैश्ल दिवसं क्षतविक्षता: 'ऐसी दशामें साक्षात् वज्रधारी इन्द्र भी उसे युद्धमें पराजित नहीं कर सकते। यह प्रहार करनेमें कुशल तथा लक्ष्य भेदनेमें सफल है। इधर हमलोगोंके वाहन थक गये हैं। पाण्डवों और पांचालोंके द्वारा दिनभर क्षत-विक्षत होते रहे हैं
sañjaya uvāca | ajapaghānorasasi kruddho mārgaṇair navabhiḥ śitaiḥ | labdhalakṣyaḥ prahārī ca vayaṃ ca śrāntavāhanāḥ | pāñcālaiḥ pāṇḍaveyaiś ca divaṃsaṃ kṣatavikṣatāḥ |
Sanjaya disse: Enfurecido, Duryodhana atingiu o largo peito de Bhimasena com nove flechas afiadas, todas certeiras. Ele é um atacante hábil e um arqueiro de mira segura; ao passo que nossas montarias estão exaustas, e fomos dilacerados e feridos o dia inteiro pelos Pandavas e pelos Panchalas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahabharata ethic: battlefield excellence (accurate aim, forceful striking) is real and admirable, yet it operates amid anger, exhaustion, and collective suffering—reminding the listener that martial success is not the same as moral rightness (dharma).
Sanjaya reports that Duryodhana, furious, shoots Bhima in the chest with nine sharp arrows. He then notes Duryodhana’s effectiveness as a marksman while contrasting it with the Kaurava side’s fatigue—especially their exhausted mounts—and their being battered throughout the day by the Pandavas and the Panchalas.