Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance
राजन! जो दोनों सेनाओंमें सबसे अधिक शूरवीर माना जाता था, डाकू और लुटेरोंको मारनेवाले उस समुद्री प्रान्तोंके अधिपतिको दुर्योधनपुत्र लक्ष्मणने रोका ।। स लक्ष्मणस्येष्वसनं छित्त्वा लक्ष्म च भारत । लक्ष्मणे शरजालानि विसृजन् बह्बशोभत,भारत! तब वह लक्ष्मणके धनुष और ध्वजचिह्लको काटकर उसके ऊपर बाण- समूहोंकी वर्षा करता हुआ बहुत शोभा पाने लगा
sañjaya uvāca | rājan! yo ubhayasenayoḥ sarvādhikaḥ śūravaro mataḥ āsīt, dasyu-luṇṭakān nihantā taṃ samudra-prāntādhipatiṃ duryodhana-putro lakṣmaṇaḥ nyavārayat || sa lakṣmaṇasya iṣv-āsanaṃ chittvā lakṣma ca bhārata | lakṣmaṇe śara-jālāni visṛjan bahu aśobhat ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, Laksmana putra Duryodhana menahan penguasa wilayah pesisir itu—yang dipandang sebagai pahlawan terdepan di kedua bala tentara dan termasyhur membinasakan para perampok serta penjarah. Lalu, wahai Bharata, setelah mematahkan busur Laksmana dan menebas tanda panjinya, ia menghujani Laksmana dengan jaring anak panah; dan dengan itu ia tampak gemilang di medan laga.
संजय उवाच
The passage highlights the kṣatriya ideal of confronting renowned opponents directly and demonstrating mastery through disciplined skill—disabling an enemy’s weapons and standard—while also showing how reputation (as protector against banditry) becomes part of a warrior’s moral identity in war.
Laxmana, Duryodhana’s son, stops a celebrated coastal ruler on the battlefield. That opponent then severs Laxmana’s bow and banner-emblem and follows up by releasing dense volleys of arrows, gaining conspicuous splendor in combat.