Shloka 16
Bhīṣma’s Fall, the Arrow-bed (śara-talpa), and the Establishment of Guard
हृष्यन्ति रोमकूपाणि सीदतीव च मे मन: । चिन्तयित्वा महाबाहो भीष्मार्जुनसमागमम्,“महाबाहो! भीष्म और अर्जुनके युद्धका विचार करके मेरे रोंगटे खड़े हो रहे हैं और मन शिथिल-सा होता जा रहा है
sañjaya uvāca |
hṛṣyanti romakūpāṇi sīdatīva ca me manaḥ |
cintayitvā mahābāho bhīṣmārjunasamāgamam ||
桑阇耶说道：“噢，臂力无双者！一想到毗湿摩与阿周那在战场相逢交锋，我便毛发悚然，而心神仿佛下沉，渐觉昏弱。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and emotional gravity of dharmic conflict: even a seasoned narrator like Sanjaya is shaken when contemplating a battle between two exemplary warriors bound by duty and loyalty. It underscores that righteous war is not celebrated lightly; it carries awe, fear, and ethical weight.
Sanjaya, reporting the events of the Kurukshetra war to Dhritarashtra, anticipates the clash between Bhishma (the Kuru grandsire leading the Kaurava forces) and Arjuna (the foremost Pandava archer). The prospect of their confrontation overwhelms him—his body reacts with goosebumps and his mind feels faint.