Shloka 59
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
तेजोवीर्यबलोपेता महाबलपराक्रमा: । राजन! वे सभी विशालकाय दिग्गज तीन स्थानोंसे बहुत मद बहा रहे थे और तेज, वीर्य एवं बलसे सम्पन्न तथा महाबली और महापराक्रमी थे ।। ५८ है ।। घटोत्कचस्तु स्वं नागं चोदयामास तं तदा
tejo-vīrya-balopetā mahā-bala-parākramāḥ | rājan, te sarve viśāla-kāyā dig-gajāḥ triṣu sthāneṣu bahu madaṃ vahantaḥ tejasā vīryeṇa balena ca sampannā mahā-balinaḥ mahā-parākramāś ca āsan || 58 || ghaṭotkacaḥ tu svaṃ nāgaṃ codayāmāsa taṃ tadā ||
Sañjaya said: O King, all those colossal, direction-roaming elephants were streaming abundant rut from three places. Endowed with radiance, martial vigor, and strength, they were mighty in power and great in prowess. Then Ghaṭotkaca urged on his own elephant at that moment.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how sheer power—radiance, vigor, and strength—manifests in war, but it also implicitly warns that such might is morally neutral: it becomes meaningful only when directed by dharma and right intention.
Sañjaya describes the formidable war-elephants, swollen with rut and brimming with strength and valor; immediately after, he notes that Ghaṭotkaca spurs his own elephant forward, signaling an escalation in the battle action.