Shloka 39
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
ततो मुमोच कालिड्: शक्ति तामकरोद् द्विधा । खड्गेन पृथुना मध्ये भानुमन्तमथाच्छिनत्
tato mumoca kāliṅgaḥ śaktiṃ tām akarod dvidhā | khaḍgena pṛthunā madhye bhānumantam athācchinat ||
তেতিয়া কলিঙ্গৰ ৰাজপুত্ৰই শক্তি নিক্ষেপ কৰিলে; কিন্তু ভীমসেনে তাক দু’টুকুৰা কৰি পেলালে আৰু তাৰ পাছত নিজৰ প্ৰশস্ত খড়্গেৰে ভানুমানক মাজেদি চিৰি দিলে।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh immediacy of kṣatriya-dharma in war: a warrior must respond decisively to lethal threats, and prowess combined with presence of mind determines outcomes; ethical reflection lies in recognizing war’s irreversible consequences even when actions follow battlefield duty.
A Kaliṅga prince hurls a śakti (spear) at Bhīma. Bhīma cuts the spear into two and then strikes down Bhānumān by cleaving him through the middle with a broad sword, as Sañjaya reports the events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.