Shloka 15
शूरलक्षणवर्णनम् | Marks and Typologies of Martial Temperament
प्रविशन्ति च वेगेन साम्पराये ह्युपस्थिते । वारणा इव सम्मत्तास्ते भवन्ति दुरासदा:
praviśanti ca vegena sāmparāye hy upasthite | vāraṇā iva sammattās te bhavanti durāsadāḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : Quand survient l’ultime heurt de la bataille, ils se ruent à grande vitesse au cœur des rangs ennemis. Tels des éléphants pris de folie, ils deviennent pour l’adversaire impossibles à soutenir : inflexibles, difficiles à approcher, et terrifiants au combat.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of fearless, decisive engagement in a righteous battle: when the crisis arrives, true fighters do not hesitate but press forward with controlled ferocity, becoming formidable to adversaries.
Bhishma is describing a class of warriors who, once battle is joined, surge into the enemy formation with great momentum; the simile of maddened elephants conveys their unstoppable, hard-to-resist force.