Shloka 156
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
भीमसेन परित्यज्य संन्यवर्तन्त चेदय: । महाबली चेदि सैनिक यथाशक्ति पुरुषार्थ प्रकट करके भीमसेनको छोड़कर भाग चले
bhīmasenaṁ parityajya saṁnyavartanta cedayāḥ | mahābalī cedi-sainikā yathāśakti puruṣārthaṁ prakaṭya bhīmasenaṁ tyaktvā palāyanta ||
Sañjaya said: The Cedi warriors, though mighty, displayed their valor as best they could; yet, abandoning Bhīmasena, they turned back and fled. Thus is it seen that in the terror of battle, courage may collapse into retreat when faced with an overwhelming force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when warriors strive to show valor (puruṣārtha) to the best of their ability (yathāśakti), fear and the perception of an overpowering opponent can lead to abandonment and flight; the verse implicitly contrasts ideal kṣatriya steadfastness with human vulnerability under extreme pressure.
Sañjaya reports that the Cedi fighters, after attempting resistance, abandon Bhīma and withdraw; their formation breaks and they flee from the battlefield in the face of Bhīmasena’s onslaught.