Shloka 43
भीमसेनस्य गदायुद्ध-प्रभावः
The Battlefield Impact of Bhīmasena’s Mace Combat
(ततः सरथनागाश्चा जयं प्राप्प ससोमका: । पज्चाला: पाण्डवाश्रैव प्रणेदुश्चव पुनः पुनः ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
tataḥ sa-ratha-nāgāś ca jayaṃ prāpya sa-somakāḥ |
pañcālāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva praṇeduś ca punaḥ punaḥ ||
prayayuḥ śibirāyaiva dhanañjaya-puraskṛtāḥ |
vāditra-ghoṣaiḥ saṃhṛṣṭāḥ pranṛtyanto mahā-rathāḥ ||
tato ’vahāraḥ sainyānāṃ tava teṣāṃ ca bhārata |
astaṃ gacchati sūrye ’bhūt sandhyā-kāle ca vartati ||
Sañjaya said: Then the Somakas, together with the Pañcālas and the Pāṇḍavas—along with their chariots, elephants, and horses—having gained victory, repeatedly raised loud roars of triumph. With Arjuna placed at their head, those great warriors set out toward their camp; exhilarated by the booming of victory-instruments, they even danced in their joy. Thereafter, O Bhārata, as the sun went down and evening twilight arrived, both your army and theirs withdrew from the field.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid war, conduct follows recognizable boundaries: the arrival of sunset and sandhyā marks a natural and customary pause, and armies withdraw. The passage also highlights how leadership (Arjuna placed foremost) organizes collective action, while victory is expressed through communal ritual—shouts and instruments—rather than indiscriminate violence.
After gaining an advantage, the Somakas, Pañcālas, and Pāṇḍavas celebrate loudly, with martial music and repeated roars. They proceed back to their camp with Arjuna leading. As the sun sets and twilight comes, both sides—your army and theirs—return from the battlefield to their respective encampments.