धृष्टद्युम्नं रणे यान्तं भीष्मस्य वधकाङ्क्षिणम् ॥
हार्दिक्यो वारयाम् आस रक्षन् भीष्मस्य जीवितम् ॥
वार्ष्णेयः पार्षतं शूरं विद्ध्वा पञ्चभिर् आयसैः ॥
पुनः पञ्चाशता तूर्णम् आजघान स्तनान्तरे ॥
तथैव पार्षतो राजन् हार्दिक्यं नवभिः शरैः ॥
विव्याध निशितैस् तीक्ष्णैः कङ्कपत्रपरिच्छदैः ॥
तयोः समभवद् युद्धं भीष्महेतोर् महारणे ॥
अन्योन्यातिशयैर् युक्तं यथा वृत्रमहेन्द्रयोः ॥
भीमसेनम् अथायान्तं भीष्मं प्रति महाबलम् ॥
भूरिश्रवाभ्ययात् तूर्णं तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् ॥
सौमदत्तिर् अथो भीमम् आजघान स्तनान्तरे ॥
नाराचेन सुतीक्ष्णेन रुक्मपुङ्खेन संयुगे ॥
उरःस्थेन बभौ तेन भीमसेनः प्रतापवान् ॥
स्कन्दशक्त्या यथा क्रौञ्चः पुरा नृपतिसत्तम ॥
तौ शरान् सूर्यसंकाशान् कर्मारपरिमार्जितान् ॥
अन्योन्यस्य रणे क्रुद्धौ चिक्षिपाते मुहुर् मुहुः ॥
भीमो भीष्मवधाकान्ष्की सौमदत्तिं महारथम् ॥
तथा भीष्मजये गृध्नुः सौमदत्तिश् च पाण्डवम् ॥
कृतप्रतिकृते यत्तौ योधयाम् आसतू रणे ॥
dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ raṇe yāntaṃ bhīṣmasya vadhakāṅkṣiṇam ||
hārdikyo vārayām āsa rakṣan bhīṣmasya jīvitam ||
vārṣṇeyaḥ pārṣataṃ śūraṃ viddhvā pañcabhir āyasaiḥ ||
punaḥ pañcāśatā tūrṇam ājaghāna stanāntare ||
tathaiva pārṣato rājan hārdikyaṃ navabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
vivyādha niśitais tīkṣṇaiḥ kaṅkapatraparicchadaiḥ ||
tayoḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ bhīṣmahetor mahāraṇe ||
anyonyātiśayair yuktaṃ yathā vṛtramahendrayoḥ ||
bhīmasenam athāyāntaṃ bhīṣmaṃ prati mahābalam ||
bhūriśravābhyayāt tūrṇaṃ tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt ||
saumadattir atho bhīmam ājaghāna stanāntare ||
nārācena sutīkṣṇena rukmapuṅkhena saṃyuge ||
uraḥsthena babhau tena bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān ||
skandaśaktyā yathā krauñcaḥ purā nṛpatisattama ||
tau śarān sūryasaṃkāśān karmāraparimārjitān ||
anyonyasya raṇe kruddhau cikṣipāte muhur muhuḥ ||
bhīmo bhīṣmavadhākānṣkī saumadattiṃ mahāratham ||
tathā bhīṣmajaye gṛdhnuḥ saumadattiś ca pāṇḍavam ||
kṛtapratikṛte yattau yodhayām āsatū raṇe ||
Hardikya, guarding Bhishma's life, held back Dhrishtadyumna, who advanced in battle intent on killing Bhishma. Varshneya-Kritavarman wounded the brave son of Prishata with five iron arrows, then swiftly struck him again with fifty arrows in the chest. Likewise the son of Prishata, O king, pierced Hardikya with nine sharp, honed arrows fletched with heron feathers. A great battle broke out between them for Bhishma's sake, full of mutual onslaughts, like the battle of Vritra and great Indra. Then, as mighty Bhimasena advanced against Bhishma, Bhurishrava swiftly came forward and cried, 'Stand! Stand!' The son of Somadatta then struck Bhima in the chest with a very sharp gold-shafted naracha in the fight. With that arrow lodged in his chest, mighty Bhimasena shone, best of kings, as once did the mountain Krauncha pierced by Skanda's spear. Enraged, again and again they hurled at one another in battle sun-bright arrows, polished by the smith. Bhima, intent on slaying Bhishma, fought the great chariot-warrior Saumadatti; and Saumadatti, eager for Bhishma's victory, fought the Pandava. Striving in blow and counter-blow, they battled on the field.
5b39ef08617c · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:55:41 PM UTC
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Dhrishtadyumna and Bhima likewise cannot pass freely toward Bhishma. Warriors hold them back, for guarding the grandsire has become the whole point of their fight.