Shloka 9
Rātri-yuddhe Droṇasya prahāraḥ — Bhīmasenasya dhārtarāṣṭra-śūrānām nigrahaḥ
Night Battle: Droṇa’s Assault and Bhīma’s Suppression of Dhārtarāṣṭra Warriors
ते हन्यमाना भीमेन गदाहस्तेन तावका: । प्राद्रवन्त रणे भीता व्याप्रप्राता मृगा इव,रणभूमिमें गदाधारी भीमके द्वारा मारे जानेवाले आपके सैनिक व्याप्रोंके सूँघे हुए मृगोंके समान भयभीत होकर भाग निकले
te hanyamānā bhīmena gadāhastena tāvakāḥ | prādravanta raṇe bhītā vyāghraprāptā mṛgā iva ||
Sañjaya dit : « Frappés à mort par Bhīma, la massue à la main, tes soldats—terrifiés sur le champ de bataille—se disloquèrent et prirent la fuite, tels des cerfs affolés quand le tigre fond sur eux. »
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth of warfare: when confronted by overwhelming prowess, fear can shatter cohesion and discipline. It implicitly contrasts mere numbers with inner steadiness (dhairya) and suggests that courage and resolve are decisive ethical qualities for warriors.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma, fighting with a mace, is striking down Kaurava soldiers. Terrified, they flee the battlefield, compared to deer scattering when a tiger attacks.