Shloka 15
शूरलक्षणवर्णनम् | Marks and Typologies of Martial Temperament
प्रविशन्ति च वेगेन साम्पराये ह्युपस्थिते । वारणा इव सम्मत्तास्ते भवन्ति दुरासदा:
praviśanti ca vegena sāmparāye hy upasthite | vāraṇā iva sammattās te bhavanti durāsadāḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: When the final clash of battle has arrived, they rush forward with great speed into the enemy’s ranks. Like maddened elephants, they become impossible for foes to withstand—unyielding, hard to approach, and terrifying in combat.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of fearless, decisive engagement in a righteous battle: when the crisis arrives, true fighters do not hesitate but press forward with controlled ferocity, becoming formidable to adversaries.
Bhishma is describing a class of warriors who, once battle is joined, surge into the enemy formation with great momentum; the simile of maddened elephants conveys their unstoppable, hard-to-resist force.