Shloka 1
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
अपना बा | अकाल चतुष्पञ्चशत्तमो< ध्याय: भीमसेनका कलिंगों और निषादोंसे युद्ध
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | tathā pratisaṃādiṣṭaḥ kaliṅgādhipo vāhinīpatiḥ | bhīmasenaṃ mahābalaṃ kathaṃ yuyudhe sañjaya ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O Sañjaya, when the commander of the army—the king of Kaliṅga—had thus been instructed (by Duryodhana), in what manner did he engage in battle with the mighty Bhīmasena, that great man of strength?”
ध्ृतराष्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of command in war: leaders issue orders, and commanders execute them, setting in motion consequences that must be faced on the battlefield. It frames warfare as structured by duty and hierarchy, while implicitly questioning the motives behind such commands.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya to describe how the Kaliṅga king—serving as an army commander after receiving Duryodhana’s instruction—fought against the immensely powerful Bhīma. This introduces the upcoming account of their combat.