Shloka 23
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
सेनामुखे प्रयुद्धानां भीमसेनो भविष्यति । त॑ं सर्वे संश्रयिष्यन्ति प्राकारमकुतो भयम्
senāmukhe prayuddhānāṁ bhīmaseno bhaviṣyati | taṁ sarve saṁśrayiṣyanti prākāram akuto-bhayam ||
Duryodhana said: “At the very front of the battle-line, Bhīmasena will be the one who fights foremost. All the warriors will take shelter in him, regarding him like a fearless rampart—an unassailable wall of protection.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective morale in war often gathers around a single steadfast protector: a leader’s fearlessness can function like a fortress for others, shaping confidence and cohesion in a crisis.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparations and assessments of opposing strengths, Duryodhana describes the Pāṇḍava side, noting that Bhīma will stand at the forefront and that other fighters will rely on him as their protective bulwark.