Shloka 58
भैमसेनिर्महामायो मायया कुरुसत्तम
bhaimasenir mahāmāyo māyayā kurusattama
Sañjaya said: “O best of the Kurus, Bhīmasena’s son—mighty in magical power—by his own illusion…”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line highlights māyā—illusion or tactical deception—as a decisive force in war, raising the ethical tension between straightforward kṣatriya conduct and the battlefield’s demand for effective strategy. It invites reflection on how power and cunning can alter outcomes, and how rulers must judge such means within dharma’s constraints.
Sañjaya continues reporting the Kurukṣetra battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, introducing an action performed by Bhīma’s son (commonly Ghaṭotkaca), renowned for extraordinary illusory powers, indicating that he is about to employ māyā against the Kuru forces.