Shloka 43
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
भगदत्त: प्रभिन्नेन कुड्जरेण विशाम्पते । अभ्ययात् सहसा तत्र यत्र भीमो व्यवस्थित:,प्रजानाथ! राजा भगदत्त मदवर्षी गजराजपर आरूढ़ हो सहसा उस स्थानपर आ पहुँचे, जहाँ भीमसेन खड़े थे
bhagadattaḥ prabhinnena kuñjareṇa viśāmpate | abhyayāt sahasā tatra yatra bhīmo vyavasthitaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, King Bhagadatta, mounted on a rut-maddened elephant that had broken through the ranks, suddenly charged to the very spot where Bhīma stood ready. The scene underscores the ruthless momentum of battle, where royal valor and brute force converge, testing steadiness and duty amid chaos.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield dharma in practice: sudden, overwhelming force tests a warrior’s steadiness. It frames valor and readiness as ethical demands of kṣatriya duty, where one must remain composed and resolute even when confronted by terrifying power.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that King Bhagadatta, riding a charging elephant that has smashed through formations, rushes directly to the place where Bhīma is positioned, setting up a fierce confrontation.