Shloka 446
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
वासुदेवमुवाचेदं कौन्तेय: श्वेतवाहन: । तदनन्तर हाथी, घोड़े और रथपर यात्रा करनेवाले करोड़ों राजाओंसे घिरे हुए भीष्म, जो युद्धमें देवताओंके लिये भी दुर्जय थे, आपके पुत्रोंको बचानेके लिये एकमात्र बालक महारथी अभिमन्युको लक्ष्य करके तीव्र वेगसे आगे बढ़े। उनको उस ओर जाते देख श्ैेतवाहन कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनने वसुदेवनन्दन भगवान् श्रीकृष्णसे इस प्रकार कहा --
sañjaya uvāca—vāsudevam uvācedaṃ kaunteyaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ | tadanantaraṃ hāthī-ghoḍe-rathapar yātrā-karṇavāle kroḍoṃ rājāoṃ se ghire hue bhīṣmaḥ, yo yuddha meṃ devatāoṃ ke liye bhī durjaya the, āpke putroṃ ko bacāne ke liye ekamātra bālaka mahārathī abhimanyuko lakṣya karke tīvravega se āge baḍhe | unko us or jātā dekh śvetavāhana kuntīputra arjun ne vāsudevanandana bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇ se is prakār kahā—
वासुदेवमुवाचेदं कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः । तदनन्तरं गजाश्वरथारोहैः कोटिशो राजभिः परिवृतो भीष्मो देवैरपि दुर्जयः तावकानां रक्षणार्थं एकमेव बालं महारथिमभिमन्युं लक्ष्यीकृत्य तीव्रवेगेनाभ्यधावत् । तं तदाभिमुखं गच्छन्तं दृष्ट्वा श्वेतवाहनः कुन्तीपुत्रोऽर्जुनो वासुदेवनन्दनं भगवान् श्रीकृष्णमिदं वचोऽब्रवीत् ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension of war: even a revered elder like Bhishma, acting out of duty and loyalty to protect the Kauravas, chooses a decisive tactical move against a single youthful champion. It also underscores Arjuna’s reliance on Krishna for counsel, showing that righteous action in battle is guided not only by strength but by discernment and alignment with dharma.
Bhishma, backed by vast forces, rushes forward to strike Abhimanyu—described as a lone young maharatha—so as to safeguard the Kaurava side. Seeing this, Arjuna (Shvetavahana) turns to Krishna (Vasudeva) and begins to speak, setting up Arjuna’s response to Bhishma’s move.