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GĪTĀ-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥११॥ 8 तस्य संजनयन् हर्ष कुरुवृद्ध : पितामहः।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्ख दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥ १२ ॥ and because he was the only person whom Duryodhana could see in the forefront as the protector of the army. (Ma. Bhā. Bhisma. 19. 4-11, 33 and 34); and that is why these two armies have been respectively described as 'bhimanetra' (of which, Bhima is the eye) and 'bhişmanetra' (of which, Bhisma is the eye ) in the chapters of the
Mahābhārata prior to the Gitā (Ma. Bhā. Bhisma. 20.1).] (11) (And therefore) Do you all respectively stand in all the various 'ayanas', (that is, 'openings in the army'), as you have been directed to do, and do you all protect Bhisma on all sides.
[ Duryodhana has elsewhere (Ma. Bhā. Bhi. 15. 1-20; 99. 40, 41) given his reasons for directing that Bhişma, who was himself a powerful warrior, and who could not be defeated by anybody, should be protected on all sides, by saying that it was necessary for all to be careful, because Bhisma had resolved not to fight with Sikhandi, and was liable to be killed by him. cf.
araksyamānai hi vrko hanyāt simhan mahābalam 1
mā siṁham jabukeneva ghātayethāḥ śikhandinā 11 that is, “If the extremely powerful Lion is not protected, even a wolf will kill him; therefore, do not allow the Lion to be destroyed by a fox like Sikhandi". Bhişma was capable of dealing single-handed with any person whosoever except Sikhandi; and, he did not look for help from anybody else.]
(12) (At this moment), The oldest of the Kauravas, the (powerful) grand-sire ( the generalissmo Bhīşma ) roared aloud like a lion in order to engladden him (Duryodhana), and blew his conch (as a sign of readiness for battle ).
