अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः ।भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि ॥
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgam avasthitāḥ |bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ||
- अयनेषु · ayaneṣu
- at the gates, entrances, positions
- च · ca
- and
- सर्वेषु · sarveṣu
- in all
- यथाभागम् · yathābhāgam
- in your allotted places, as assigned
- अवस्थिताः · avasthitāḥ
- stationed, standing firm
- भीष्मम् · bhīṣmam
- Bhishma
- एव · eva
- above all, especially
- अभिरक्षन्तु · abhirakṣantu
- let them guard, protect
- भवन्तः · bhavantaḥ
- you (honorific plural)
- सर्वे · sarve
- all
- एव · eva
- indeed
- हि · hi
- surely, indeed
“Stationed in your allotted places at every gate, guard Bhishma — all of you, above all.”
— Original plain-language translation
Duryodhana's closing order reveals his strategy and his fear: everything depends on the grandsire. Bhishma, bound by his vow yet loving the Pandavas, is the Kaurava army's strength and its question mark.
— Reader's notes (original)