Shloka 22
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६६: तुमुलसंग्रामवर्णनम्
The Tumult of Battle Described
यतो यतः प्रेक्षते सम गदामुद्यम्य पाण्डव: । तेन तेन सम दीर्यन्ते सर्वसैन्यानि भारत,भारत! भीमसेन गदा उठाकर जिस-जिस ओर देखते थे, उधर-उधरसे सारी सेनाओंमें दरार पड़ जाती थी (वहाँके सैनिक भागकर स्थान खाली कर देते थे)
yato yataḥ prekṣate sa gadām udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ | tena tena sama dīryante sarvasainyāni bhārata ||
Sañjaya sprach: O Bhārata! Wohin auch immer jener Pāṇḍava—Bhīmasena—blickte, die Keule erhoben, genau dort spalteten sich die gesamten Schlachtreihen der Heere.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how inner force—courage, resolve, and reputation—can shape outcomes in war: morale collapses when confronted by a formidable warrior. Ethically, it underscores the kṣatriya ideal of decisive action, while also revealing the human cost of fear and the fragility of massed violence.
Sañjaya describes Bhīma on the battlefield: with mace raised, he scans the field, and wherever he turns his attention the opposing ranks break and scatter, leaving gaps as soldiers flee or give ground.