Shloka 38
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance
अड्ढदो$भिमुखं वीरमुत्तमौजसमाहवे । द्रोणायाभिमुखं यान्तं शरौघेण न्यवारयत्,अंगदने वीर उत्तमौजाको अपने और द्रोणाचार्यके सामने आते देख युद्धस्थलमें अपने बाणसमुदायकी वर्षासे रोक दिया
aḍḍhodo’bhimukhaṃ vīram uttamaujasaṃ āhave | droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ śaraughena nyavārayat |
Sañjaya dit : Au plus fort de la mêlée, le vaillant Uttamaujā, voyant le héros Aḍḍhoda s’avancer contre lui et marcher droit vers Droṇa, brisa son élan en le criblant d’une pluie serrée de flèches. La scène rappelle le devoir du guerrier : contenir une charge dangereuse dans la guerre—fût-ce d’un adversaire courageux—par une force mesurée et une interception tactique.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty in warfare: when a dangerous advance threatens one’s side (here, toward Droṇa), a warrior must act decisively to restrain it. Courage is acknowledged, yet duty and protection of one’s commander/formation justify forceful interception.
Sañjaya reports that Uttamaujā notices the hero Aḍḍhoda advancing directly, with his movement oriented toward Droṇa. Uttamaujā blocks that advance by releasing a concentrated barrage—described as a ‘torrent’—of arrows.