Shloka 30
Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)
अहो धिड़ निहतो भीम: कुञज्जरेणेति मारिष | तेन नागेन संत्रस्ता पाण्डवानामनीकिनी
aho dhiḍ nihato bhīmaḥ kuñjareṇeti māriṣa | tena nāgena saṁtrastā pāṇḍavānām anīkinī
“Celaka! Bhīma telah tewas—oleh seekor gajah!” demikian teriakan itu, wahai yang mulia. Mendengar kabar tentang ‘gajah’ itu, bala tentara Pāṇḍava pun dilanda kepanikan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how words and perception can become weapons in war: a strategically framed announcement can destabilize even a strong force. It raises an ethical tension central to the Drona Parva—victory pursued through psychological manipulation and the moral cost such tactics impose.
A cry is raised that “Bhīma has been slain—by an elephant.” The mention of an ‘elephant’ (nāga/kuñjara) triggers fear and confusion, and the Pāṇḍava army becomes alarmed. The line reflects the battlefield’s rumor-driven turmoil and the use of misleading signals to shake morale.