Shloka 43
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
त्वरमाणोभिदुद्राव महेन्द्र शम्बरो यथा । महता शरवर्षेण पार्थ: पाउ्चालमावृणोत्
tvaramāṇo 'bhidudrāva mahendraḥ śambaro yathā | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa pārthaḥ pāñcālam āvṛṇot ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Apresurándose, el rey de los Pāñcālas cargó contra Arjuna, como Śambara atacó antaño a Mahendra (Indra). Pero Pārtha, hijo de Kuntī, cubrió al rey pãñcāla con una gran lluvia de flechas: respondió a la fuerza con destreza disciplinada, no con pánico.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: courage and swift engagement are met by controlled, skillful response. Arjuna’s arrow-shower symbolizes disciplined power—victory pursued through mastery and composure rather than uncontrolled aggression.
Drupada of Pāñcāla rushes to attack Arjuna, compared to Śambara’s assault on Indra. Arjuna counters by unleashing a dense volley of arrows that ‘covers’ Drupada, checking his advance and asserting battlefield superiority.