Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 67
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
स सिंहनादं विननाद कौरवो निपात्य भूमौ युधि भीममोजसा । बिभेद चैवाशनितुल्यमोजसा गदानिपातेन शरीररक्षणम्
sa siṁhanādaṁ vinanāda kauravo nipātya bhūmau yudhi bhīmam ojasā | bibheda caivāśanitulyam ojasā gadānipātena śarīrarakṣaṇam ||
Sañjaya said: Having hurled Bhīma down to the ground in the midst of battle by sheer force, the Kaurava king (Duryodhana) roared like a lion. Then, with a mace-blow driven with thunderbolt-like power, he shattered Bhīmasena’s bodily protection—his armor—showing how brute strength and martial skill can overwhelm even formidable defenses in the ruthless ethics of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: strength, technique, and relentless resolve can break even strong protections. Ethically, it underscores how pride and triumphal display (the lion-roar) accompany victory, while the battlefield context frames such acts within the accepted—but grim—code of war.
Sañjaya describes Duryodhana overpowering Bhīma in the mace-duel: he knocks Bhīma to the ground, roars in triumph, and strikes with such force that Bhīma’s armor/body-protection is shattered by the mace-blow.
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