Chapter1- Ślokā 11
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā bhāgam avasthitāḥ |
bhīṣmam evābhi rakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi ||11||
(1.11)
sarve eva hi bhavantaḥ- all of you certainly; yathā bhāgam avasthitāḥ- be stationed in your respective positions without leaving them; sarveṣu ayaneṣu ca- at all the entry paths to the army formation; abhirakṣantu- (and at the same time) shield and protect; bhīṣmameva- Bhīṣma alone;
Purport
After expressing concerns about his own army in the previous śloka, Duryodhana now instructs the chiefs of his army on how they must conduct themselves to mitigate those concerns.
“All of you must certainly be stationed in your respective positions at all the entry paths to the army formation to guard them and at the same time focus primarily on shielding and guarding Bhīṣma.”
ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā bhāgam avasthitāḥ With these words Duryodhana instructed his army generals on how to conduct the war. Duryodhana's intention behind this instruction was that the generals should remain in their respective positions at the entry paths to the army formation and defend them.
ayanam 'ayanam' means the path of entry into an army formation.
bhīṣmam evābhi rakṣantu Duryodhana continued with his instruction to his generals that while guarding their respective positions, their primary focus should be to shield their army chief Bhīṣma from all directions and to guard him.
Duryodhana's instructions to his army in this śloka, to guard their chief Bhīṣma, reveal his state of mind. It is clear that the concern stated by him in the previous śloka about his army being less competent, continued to linger in his mind.