शैनेयं तु रणे क्रुद्धो भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान् ॥
अविध्यन् निशितैर् बाणैर् जत्रुदेशे हसन्न् इव ॥
भीमसेनस् ततः क्रुद्धो भारद्वाजम् अविध्यत ॥
संरक्षन् सात्यकिं राजन् द्रोणाच् छस्त्रभृतां वरात् ॥
ततो द्रोणश् च भीष्मश् च तथा शल्यश् च मारिष ॥
भीमसेनं रणे क्रुद्धाश् छादयां चक्रिरे शरैः ॥
तत्राभिमन्युः संक्रुद्धो द्रौपदेयाश् च मारिष ॥
विव्यधुर् निशितैर् बाणैः सर्वांस् तान् उद्यतायुधान् ॥
भीष्मद्रोणौ च संक्रुद्धाव् आपतन्तौ महाबलौ ॥
प्रत्युद्ययौ शिखण्डी तु महेष्वासो महाहवे ॥
प्रगृह्य बलवद् वीरो धनुर् जलदनिस्वनम् ॥
अभ्यवर्षच् छरैस् तूर्णं छादयानो दिवाकरम् ॥
शिखण्डिनं समासाद्य भरतानां पितामहः ॥
अवर्जयत संग्रामे स्त्रीत्वं तस्यानुसंस्मरन् ॥
ततो द्रोणो महाराज अभ्यद्रवत तं रणे ॥
रक्षमाणस् ततो भीष्मं तव पुत्रेण चोदितः ॥
शिखण्डी तु समासाद्य द्रोणं शस्त्रभृतां वरम् ॥
अवर्जयत संग्रामे युगान्ताग्निम् इवोल्बणम् ॥
ततो बलेन महता पुत्रस् तव विशां पते ॥
जुगोप भीष्मम् आसाद्य प्रार्थयानो महद् यशः ॥
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन् पुरस्कृत्य धनंजयम् ॥
भीष्मम् एवाभ्यवर्तन्त जये कृत्वा दृढां मतिम् ॥
तद् युद्धम् अभवद् घोरं देवानां दानवैर् इव ॥
जयं च काङ्क्षतां नित्यं यशश् च परमाद्भुतम् ॥
śaineyaṃ tu raṇe kruddho bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān ||
avidhyan niśitair bāṇair jatrudeśe hasann iva ||
bhīmasenas tataḥ kruddho bhāradvājam avidhyata ||
saṃrakṣan sātyakiṃ rājan droṇāc chastrabhṛtāṃ varāt ||
tato droṇaś ca bhīṣmaś ca tathā śalyaś ca māriṣa ||
bhīmasenaṃ raṇe kruddhāś chādayāṃ cakrire śaraiḥ ||
tatrābhimanyuḥ saṃkruddho draupadeyāś ca māriṣa ||
vivyadhur niśitair bāṇaiḥ sarvāṃs tān udyatāyudhān ||
bhīṣmadroṇau ca saṃkruddhāv āpatantau mahābalau ||
pratyudyayau śikhaṇḍī tu maheṣvāso mahāhave ||
pragṛhya balavad vīro dhanur jaladanisvanam ||
abhyavarṣac charais tūrṇaṃ chādayāno divākaram ||
śikhaṇḍinaṃ samāsādya bharatānāṃ pitāmahaḥ ||
avarjayata saṃgrāme strītvaṃ tasyānusaṃsmaran ||
tato droṇo mahārāja abhyadravata taṃ raṇe ||
rakṣamāṇas tato bhīṣmaṃ tava putreṇa coditaḥ ||
śikhaṇḍī tu samāsādya droṇaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ varam ||
avarjayata saṃgrāme yugāntāgnim ivolbaṇam ||
tato balena mahatā putras tava viśāṃ pate ||
jugopa bhīṣmam āsādya prārthayāno mahad yaśaḥ ||
tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājan puraskṛtya dhanaṃjayam ||
bhīṣmam evābhyavartanta jaye kṛtvā dṛḍhāṃ matim ||
tad yuddham abhavad ghoraṃ devānāṃ dānavair iva ||
jayaṃ ca kāṅkṣatāṃ nityaṃ yaśaś ca paramādbhutam ||
In the battle, mighty and enraged Bharadvaja, as if laughing, struck Shaineya with sharp arrows in the collarbone. Then enraged Bhimasena, protecting Satyaki from Drona, the best of weapon-bearers, struck Bharadvaja. Then Drona, Bhishma, and Shalya, all enraged, showered Bhimasena with arrows in the fight, O venerable one. Then Abhimanyu and the sons of Draupadi, growing enraged, pierced with sharp arrows all those warriors with weapons raised. And the great archer Shikhandin, in the great battle, advanced to meet the enraged, charging, and mighty Bhishma and Drona. The hero firmly grasped his thunder-voiced bow and swiftly showered them with arrows, hiding the sun. But the grandsire of the Bharatas, upon encountering Shikhandin, turned aside in the fight, remembering his former womanhood. Then Drona, urged on by your son, charged at Shikhandin in battle, protecting Bhishma. But Shikhandin, meeting Drona, the best of weapon-bearers, turned aside from him in the fight as though from the blazing fire at the end of an age. Then your son, O lord of men, drawing near to Bhishma, protected him with great force, seeking high glory. Likewise the Pandavas, placing Dhananjaya in front, advanced straight upon Bhishma, having firmly resolved on victory, O king. That battle became as terrible as the battle of the gods with the danavas, between those who ever longed for victory and for supreme, wondrous glory.
f2b8d88dd2a3 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:35:52 PM UTC
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Around Bhishma a knot of mutual protection forms: Drona shields him from Shikhandin, Duryodhana strengthens the defense, and the Pandavas place Arjuna at the front. Bhishma remains the center of the battle, but his refusal to fight Shikhandin already reveals the future crack in this defense.