Shloka 15
Adhyāya 8: Saṃprahāra-varṇana and Bhīma–Kṣemadhūrti Dvipa-Yuddha
Combat Description and Elephant Duel
यो नामन्यत वै नित्यमच्युतं च धनंजयम् । न वृष्णीन् सहितानन्यान् स्वबाहुबलदर्पितः
yo nāmanyata vai nityam acyutaṃ ca dhanaṃjayam | na vṛṣṇīn sahitān anyān svabāhubaladarpitaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Enflé d’orgueil de sa propre force, il ne tint jamais en l’estime qui convenait Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa) et Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna), pas même les autres Vṛṣṇis venus avec eux.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride in one’s own power (svabāhubaladarpitaḥ) leads to moral and strategic blindness: it makes a person dismiss those who embody steadiness (Acyuta/Kṛṣṇa), righteous prowess (Dhanaṃjaya/Arjuna), and the strength of a united community (the Vṛṣṇis).
Vaiśampāyana describes a warrior whose arrogance causes him to disregard Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, and the assembled Vṛṣṇis—setting the tone for the consequences that follow when one underestimates formidable, dharmically aligned opponents.