Shloka 16
भीष्मवधाय प्रयाणम् — The Advance toward Bhīṣma and Counter-Engagements
महाहवे दीप्यमानान् सुवर्णमुकुटोज्ज्वलान् | तत्यजु: समरे भीम॑ तव पुत्रा महाबला:
mahāhave dīpyamānān suvarṇamukuṭojjvalān | tatyajuḥ samare bhīma tava putrā mahābalāḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: In jener großen Schlacht loderten jene Krieger in Glanz, und ihre goldenen Kronen strahlten. Als deine mächtigen Söhne, o Bhīma (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), sie im dichtesten Kampf heranrücken sahen, gaben sie das Gefecht auf und wichen vom Feld zurück.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the powerful may falter when confronted by superior force; in the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, retreat born of fear contrasts with the ideal of steadfast kṣatriya-dharma—courage, resolve, and responsibility in battle.
Sañjaya describes radiant, crown-adorned warriors advancing in the great fight; on seeing them, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons lose heart and withdraw from the battlefield, abandoning the engagement.