कथं भीष्मेण संग्रामम् अकुर्वन् पाण्डुनन्दनाः ॥
कथं च नाजयद् भीष्मो द्रोणे जीवति संजय ॥
कृपे संनिहिते तत्र भरद्वाजात्मजे तथा ॥
भीष्मः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः कथं स निधनं गतः ॥
कथं चातिरथस् तेन पाञ्चाल्येन शिखण्डिना ॥
भीष्मो विनिहतो युद्धे देवैर् अपि दुरुत्सहः ॥
यः स्पर्धते रणे नित्यं जामदग्न्यं महाबलम् ॥
अजितं जामदग्न्येन शक्रतुल्यपराक्रमम् ॥
तं हतं समरे भीष्मं महारथबलोचितम् ॥
संजयाचक्ष्व मे वीरं येन शर्म न विद्महे ॥
मामकाः के महेष्वासा नाजहुः संजयाच्युतम् ॥
दुर्योधनसमादिष्टाः के वीराः पर्यवारयन् ॥
यच् छिखण्डिमुखाः सर्वे पाण्डवा भीष्मम् अभ्ययुः ॥
कच्चिन् न कुरवो भीतास् तत्यजुः संजयाच्युतम् ॥
kathaṃ bhīṣmeṇa saṃgrāmam akurvan pāṇḍunandanāḥ ||
kathaṃ ca nājayad bhīṣmo droṇe jīvati saṃjaya ||
kṛpe saṃnihite tatra bharadvājātmaje tathā ||
bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ kathaṃ sa nidhanaṃ gataḥ ||
kathaṃ cātirathas tena pāñcālyena śikhaṇḍinā ||
bhīṣmo vinihato yuddhe devair api durutsahaḥ ||
yaḥ spardhate raṇe nityaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ mahābalam ||
ajitaṃ jāmadagnyena śakratulyaparākramam ||
taṃ hataṃ samare bhīṣmaṃ mahārathabalocitam ||
saṃjayācakṣva me vīraṃ yena śarma na vidmahe ||
māmakāḥ ke maheṣvāsā nājahuḥ saṃjayācyutam ||
duryodhanasamādiṣṭāḥ ke vīrāḥ paryavārayan ||
yac chikhaṇḍimukhāḥ sarve pāṇḍavā bhīṣmam abhyayuḥ ||
kaccin na kuravo bhītās tatyajuḥ saṃjayācyutam ||
"How did the sons of Pandu fight against Bhishma? How did Bhishma not prevail, while Drona still lived, O Sanjaya, while Kripa and the son of Bharadvaja were present there? How did Bhishma, foremost of strikers, come to his death? How was this great charioteer, unbearable in battle even for the gods, struck down by the Panchala prince Shikhandin? He always contended in battle with the mighty son of Jamadagni; Parashurama, whose valor equaled Shakra's, did not overcome him. Tell me, Sanjaya, of that hero Bhishma, slain in battle, worthy of the might of a great charioteer — because of his death we find no peace. Which of my great bowmen did not abandon the unshaken one? What heroes, appointed by Duryodhana, surrounded him? When all the Pandavas, led by Shikhandin, advanced against Bhishma, did the Kurus, out of fear, abandon the unshaken one, Sanjaya?"
805db04036f8 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:47:27 PM UTC
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In these questions Dhritarashtra clings to possible explanations: where were Drona and Kripa, who guarded Bhishma, did the Kurus falter. But behind all the questions lies a single fear: if the one whom even Parashurama could not conquer has fallen, then the ordinary reckonings of strength no longer hold.