Shloka 28
Adhyāya 86: Irāvān’s Lineage, Cavalry Clash, and the Māyā-Duel Ending in Irāvān’s Fall
यथा सुरपति: शक्रस्त्रासयामास दानवान् | तथैव समरे राजा द्रावयामास पाण्डवान्,जैसे देवराज इन्द्रने दानवोंकों भयभीत किया था, उसी प्रकार भगदत्तने पाण्डवसैनिकोंको भयभीत करके भगाना आरम्भ किया
yathā surapatiḥ śakrast rāsayāmāsa dānavān | tathaiva samare rājā drāvayāmāsa pāṇḍavān |
Sebagaimana Śakra, raja para dewa, pernah menebar gentar pada kaum Dānava, demikian pula dalam pertempuran itu raja Bhagadatta mulai menghalau pasukan Pāṇḍava, membuat mereka mundur ketakutan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can spread swiftly in war when confronted by overwhelming force, and it frames human martial power through a divine analogy (Indra vs. Dānavas), reminding readers that morale and perceived might strongly influence outcomes.
Sañjaya reports that Bhagadatta, fighting on the Kaurava side, began to drive back the Pāṇḍava forces; his onslaught is likened to Indra terrifying the Dānavas, emphasizing the intensity of his attack and the resulting rout.