Shloka 10
भीष्मवधाय प्रयाणम् — The Advance toward Bhīṣma and Counter-Engagements
तानापतत एवाजौ भीमसेनो महाबल: । प्रत्युद्ययाौ महाराज गज: प्रतिगजानिव
tān āpatata evājau bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | pratyudyayau mahārāja gajaḥ pratigajān iva ||
Sañjaya sprach: O König! Als er sie auf dem Schlachtfeld heranstürmen sah, schritt der überaus starke Bhīmasena ihnen entgegen—wie ein großer Elefant, der auf gegnerische Elefanten losgeht.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma: when aggression comes in battle, a warrior who has taken up the righteous fight should meet it with steadiness and courage, not with panic or retreat. The elephant simile conveys controlled power—strength directed toward duty.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that as the opposing fighters charge in the battle, Bhīma—renowned for immense strength—moves forward to confront them, likened to an elephant rushing against rival elephants.