Mahabharata · 6.113.32-33
॥
Devanāgarī
एष शांतनवो भीष्मः सेनयोर् अन्तरे स्थितः ॥
नानिहत्य बलाद् एनं विजयस् ते भविष्यति ॥
यत्तः संस्तम्भयस्वैनं यत्रैषा भिद्यते चमूः ॥
न हि भीष्मशरान् अन्यः सोढुम् उत्सहते विभो ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
eṣa śāṃtanavo bhīṣmaḥ senayor antare sthitaḥ ||
nānihatya balād enaṃ vijayas te bhaviṣyati ||
yattaḥ saṃstambhayasvainaṃ yatraiṣā bhidyate camūḥ ||
na hi bhīṣmaśarān anyaḥ soḍhum utsahate vibho ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एष शांतनवः भीष्मःeṣa śāṃtanavaḥ bhīṣmaḥhere is Bhishma, son of Shantanu; this is Bhishma, son of Shantanu
सेनयोः अन्तरे स्थितःsenayoḥ antare sthitaḥstanding between the two armies; standing amid the hosts
न अनिहत्य बलात् एनम्na anihatya balāt enamwithout slaying him by force; without crushing him with your might
विजयः ते भविष्यतिvijayaḥ te bhaviṣyativictory will be yours; there will be no victory for you
यत्तः संस्तम्भयस्व एनम्yattaḥ saṃstambhayasva enamgathered yourself, restrain him; steel yourself and stop him
यत्र एषा भिद्यते चमूःyatra eṣā bhidyate camūḥwhere this army is breaking; there, where the host is shattering
न हि भीष्मशरान् अन्यःna hi bhīṣmaśarān anyaḥfor no other than Bhishma's arrows; no one else the arrows of Bhishma
सोढुम् उत्सहते विभोsoḍhum utsahate vibhois able to endure, O mighty one; can withstand, O powerful one
Translation
Krishna said: "Here is Bhishma, son of Shantanu, standing between the two armies. Until you strike him down by force, there will be no victory for you. Gather yourself and stop him where this army is breaking apart: for no one else can withstand the arrows of Bhishma, O mighty one."
Version
de2e1ead898c · published Jul 17, 2026, 10:03:50 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Krishna does not soften the reality: victory is impossible while Bhishma stands between the armies. This instruction turns Arjuna from contemplating the horror back to the action that must end the day.