Shloka 30
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 50 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Bhīmasena (भीमसेनभयवर्णनम्)
उद्दिश्य नागान् पतत: कुर्वतो भैरवान् रवान् । प्रतीपं पततो मत्तान् कुज्जरान् प्रतिगर्जतः
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | uddiśya nāgān patataḥ kurvato bhairavān ravān | pratīpaṃ patato mattān kuñjarān pratigarjataḥ |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Quand Bhīmasena, rugissant terriblement, se précipitera droit sur les éléphants ; quand il chargera les grands tuskers enivrés qui fuient en sens contraire et répondra à leur barrissement par son propre défi tonitruant—alors, flamboyant comme le feu, enfonçant les rangs de mes guerriers de char et commençant à abattre les héros choisis l’un après l’autre, comment mes fils resteraient-ils en vie sous ses mains ?»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral psychology of impending war: adharma-driven choices breed fear and foreboding. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s anxiety reflects how attachment to one’s sons and refusal to restrain injustice leads to dread of inevitable consequences.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra imagines Bhīma’s battlefield fury—charging elephants and roaring back at them—then breaking into the Kaurava chariot ranks to kill select warriors. He asks how his sons could survive such a blazing, unstoppable assault.