Shloka 336
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
जघान वाहान् समरे समन्तात् पारावतान् सिन्धुराजस्य संख्ये । वेगशाली भीमसेन उसके बाणोंकी कोई परवा न करते हुए मन-ही-मन क्रोधसे जल उठे। तत्पश्चात् उन्होंने समरभूमिमें सिन्धुराजके कबूतरके समान रंगवाले घोड़ोंको मार डाला
sañjaya uvāca |
jaghāna vāhān samare samantāt pārāvatān sindhurājasya saṅkhye |
Sanjaya said: In the thick of battle, Bhimasena, disregarding the enemy’s arrows and burning inwardly with wrath, struck down on all sides the Sindhu king’s horses—pigeon-grey in color—thereby crippling his mobility in war. The act reflects the ruthless pragmatics of battlefield strategy, where disabling an opponent’s means of movement becomes a decisive, if harsh, necessity.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a wartime ethic of strategic necessity within kshatriya-dharma: in battle, disabling an enemy’s mobility (by killing mounts) can be a decisive act, even though it is violent and morally weighty. It also shows how unchecked anger fuels escalation in conflict.
Sanjaya reports that Bhima, enraged and unconcerned with incoming arrows, kills the Sindhu king’s pigeon-grey horses across the battlefield, effectively undermining the king’s ability to maneuver or fight effectively.