Shloka 326
Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam
महाभ्रजालमतुलं मातरिश्वेव संततम् । पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ भीमसेनने अपनी गदाकी चोटसे सारी गजसेनाको उसी प्रकार नष्ट कर दिया, जैसे वायु महान् मेघोंकी सब ओर फैली हुई अनुपम घटाको छिज्न-भिन्न कर देती है
sañjaya uvāca | mahābhrajālam atulaṃ mātariśveva santatam | pāṇḍavaśreṣṭho bhīmasenena svagadayā prahāraiḥ sā gajasenā tathā nāśitā, yathā vāyur mahāmeghānāṃ sarvataḥ prasṛtām anupamāṃ ghaṭāṃ chinnabhinnaṃ karoti |
Sanjaya said: Like the wind that rends and scatters a vast, matchless mass of clouds spread on every side, Bhimasena—the foremost of the Pandavas—shattered the elephant-corps with the crushing blows of his mace. The image underscores the irresistible force of a warrior’s might when unleashed in battle, and the swift, sweeping destruction that follows when power is applied without restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overwhelming momentum of force in war: once martial power is unleashed, it can sweep through formations as wind tears cloud-masses. Ethically, it points to the grave consequences of battle—strength achieves objectives swiftly, but through widespread destruction—inviting reflection on restraint and responsibility even within kshatriya duty.
Sanjaya describes Bhima’s battlefield feat: with repeated mace-blows he breaks and destroys the enemy’s elephant contingent. The action is framed through a simile—wind dispersing a vast bank of clouds—to convey speed, scale, and inevitability.