Shloka 25
भीमसेनस्य गदायुद्ध-प्रभावः
The Battlefield Impact of Bhīmasena’s Mace Combat
हयारोहा हयांस्त्यक्त्वा गजारोहाश्न दन्तिन: । अर्जुनस्य भयाद् राजन् समन्ताद् विप्रदुद्रुवु:,महाराज! अर्जुनके भयसे घुड़सवार घोड़ोंको और हाथीसवार हाथियोंको छोड़कर सब ओर भाग चले
sañjaya uvāca | hayārohā hayāṁs tyaktvā gajārohāś ca dantinaḥ | arjunasya bhayād rājan samantād vipradudruvuḥ ||
Sanjaya said: O King, terrified of Arjuna, the horsemen abandoned their horses and the elephant-riders left their great tusked elephants; in panic they fled in all directions. The verse underscores how fear can shatter martial discipline and attachment to power-symbols (mounts and war-elephants) when confronted by overwhelming prowess.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can dissolve pride, possession, and battlefield order: even elite mounted troops abandon their mounts when confronted by a superior force. It implicitly contrasts true steadiness (dhairya) with panic-driven flight.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that, struck with fear of Arjuna, mounted warriors on horses and elephants abandon their animals and scatter, fleeing in all directions amid the chaos of battle.