Shloka 4
Rātri-yuddhe Droṇasya prahāraḥ — Bhīmasenasya dhārtarāṣṭra-śūrānām nigrahaḥ
Night Battle: Droṇa’s Assault and Bhīma’s Suppression of Dhārtarāṣṭra Warriors
स तैस्तु संवृतो भीम: प्रहसन्निव भारत । उद्यच्छन् स गदां तेभ्य: सुघोरां सिंहवन्नदन् | अवासृजच्च वेगेन शत्रुपक्षविनाशिनीम्,भरतनन्दन! उनसे घिरे हुए भीमने हँसते हुए-से अपनी अत्यन्त भयंकर गदा ऊपर उठायी और सिंहनाद करते हुए उन्होंने शत्रुपक्षका विनाश करनेवाली उस गदाको बड़े वेगसे उन राजाओंपर दे मारा
sa taistu saṃvṛto bhīmaḥ prahasann iva bhārata | udyacchan sa gadāṃ tebhyaḥ sughorāṃ siṃhavan nadan | avāsṛjac ca vegena śatrupakṣavināśinīm |
Sañjaya said: Surrounded by them, Bhīma—almost as if laughing—raised his exceedingly dreadful mace. Roaring like a lion, he hurled that enemy-host-destroying weapon with great force at those kings.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Within the Mahābhārata’s war narrative, the verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form: steadfast courage under pressure and decisive action against an armed enemy. Bhīma’s laughter and lion-roar function as fearlessness and intimidation, suggesting that in battle, mental dominance can be as crucial as physical strength—yet it also reminds the reader of the grim ethical cost of war, where destruction becomes the means to end resistance.
Bhīma is surrounded by opposing warriors (kings). Unshaken, he lifts his terrifying mace, roars like a lion, and hurls the weapon with great force into the enemy side, aiming to shatter their formation and cause heavy destruction.