Shloka 52
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
हयान् ध्वजं धनुर्मुष्टिमुभौ तौ पार्ष्णिसारथी । स तथा भियद्यमानेषु कार्मुकेषु पुन: पुन:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
hayān dhvajaṃ dhanurmuṣṭim ubhau tau pārṣṇisārathī |
sa tathā bhiyadyamāneṣu kārmukeṣu punaḥ punaḥ ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Arjuna abatió los caballos de Satyajit y su estandarte, hizo añicos su arco y la mano que lo empuñaba; también inutilizó al guardia lateral y al auriga. Así, al quebrársele una y otra vez los arcos y al serle muertos los caballos, Satyajit huyó del campo de batalla. Al verlo apartarse del combate, el rey Drupada de los Pāñcāla descargó sobre Arjuna, hijo de Pāṇḍu, una veloz lluvia de flechas; y Arjuna, el primero entre los héroes victoriosos, trabó con él una gran batalla.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: martial excellence is shown not merely by killing, but by disabling an opponent’s means of combat (horses, banner, bow, charioteer/guards), forcing retreat; it also shows how a leader (Drupada) responds when an ally withdraws, taking responsibility to continue the contest.
Arjuna overwhelms Satyajit by repeatedly breaking his bows and striking down his horses and support crew, causing Satyajit to flee. Drupada, seeing this retreat, immediately showers Arjuna with arrows and begins a major engagement with him.