1.11 However, venerable sirs, all of you without exception, while occupying all the positions in the different directions as alloted (to you respectively), please fully protect Bhisma in particular.

1.11 Therefore all of you taking your places firmly in your respective divisions, guard Bhisma at all cost.

।।1.11।। आप सब-के-सब लोग सभी मोर्चों पर अपनी-अपनी जगह दृढ़ता से स्थित रहते हुए ही पितामह भीष्म की चारों ओर से रक्षा करें।

1.11।। व्याख्या--'अयनेषु च सर्वेषु ৷৷. भवन्तः सर्व एव हि'--जिन-जिन मोर्चोंपर आपकी नियुक्ति कर दी गयी है, आप सभी योद्धालोग उन्हीं मोर्चोंपर दृढ़तासे स्थित रहते हुए सब तरफसे, सब प्रकारसे भीष्मजीकी रक्षा करें। भीष्मजीकी सब ओरसे रक्षा करें--यह कहकर दुर्योधन भीष्मजीको भीतरसे अपने पक्षमें लाना चाहता है। ऐसा कहनेका दूसरा भाव यह है कि जब भीष्मजी युद्ध करें, तब किसी भी व्यूहद्वारसे शिखण्डी उनके सामने न आ जाय--इसका आपलोग खयाल रखें। अगर शिखण्डी उनके सामने आ जायगा, तो भीष्मजी उसपर शस्त्रास्त्र नहीं चलायेंगे। कारण कि शिखण्डी पहले जन्ममें भी स्त्री था, और इस जन्ममें भी पहले स्त्री था पीछे पुरुष बना है। इसलिये भीष्मजी इसको स्त्री ही समझते हैं और उन्होंने शिखण्डीसे युद्ध न करनेकी प्रतिज्ञा कर रखी है। यह शिखण्डी शङ्करके वरदानसे भीष्मजीको मारनेके लिये ही पैदा हुआ है। अतः जब शिखण्डीसे भीष्मजीकी रक्षा हो जायगी, तो फिर वे सबको मार देंगे, जिससे निश्चित ही हमारी विजय होगी। इस बातको लेकर दुर्योधन सभी महारथियोंसे भीष्मजीकी रक्षा करनेके लिये कह रहा है।सम्बन्ध-- द्रोणाचार्यके द्वारा कुछ भी न बोलनेके कारण दुर्योधनका मानसिक उत्साह भङ्ग हुआ देखकर उसके प्रति भीष्मजीके किये हुए स्नेह-सौहार्दकी बात सञ्जय आगेके श्लोकमें प्रकट करते हैं।

All of you must now give full support to Grandfather Bhīṣma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army.

Duryodhana, after praising the prowess of Bhīṣma, further considered that others might think that they had been considered less important, so in his usual diplomatic way, he tried to adjust the situation in the above words. He emphasized that Bhīṣmadeva was undoubtedly the greatest hero, but he was an old man, so everyone must especially think of his protection from all sides. He might become engaged in the fight, and the enemy might take advantage of his full engagement on one side. Therefore, it was important that other heroes not leave their strategic positions and allow the enemy to break the phalanx. Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the Kurus depended on the presence of Bhīṣmadeva. He was confident of the full support of Bhīṣmadeva and Droṇācārya in the battle because he well knew that they did not even speak a word when Arjuna’s wife Draupadī, in her helpless condition, had appealed to them for justice while she was being forced to appear naked in the presence of all the great generals in the assembly. Although he knew that the two generals had some sort of affection for the Pāṇḍavas, he hoped that these generals would now completely give it up, as they had done during the gambling performances.