Shloka 23
Rātri-yuddhe Droṇasya prahāraḥ — Bhīmasenasya dhārtarāṣṭra-śūrānām nigrahaḥ
Night Battle: Droṇa’s Assault and Bhīma’s Suppression of Dhārtarāṣṭra Warriors
तस्मिन् क्षणे तस्य यन्ता तूर्णमश्वानचोदयत् | भीमसेनस्य कौरव्य तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्,कुरुनन्दन! इसी समय भीमसेनका सारथि तुरंत ही घोड़ोंको हाँककर वहाँ ले आया। वह एक अद्भुत-सी बात थी
tasmin kṣaṇe tasya yantā tūṇam aśvān acodayat | bhīmasenasya kauravya tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
Sañjaya said: “At that very moment, his charioteer swiftly urged on the horses. O descendant of Kuru, in Bhīmasena’s case it seemed almost wondrous—how instantly the chariot was brought into action amid the press of battle.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield readiness and disciplined execution: even a small act—promptly driving the chariot—can decisively shape outcomes. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such efficiency serves one’s chosen duty (svadharma) in war, though the larger moral weight depends on the justice of the cause.
Sañjaya reports that, at a critical instant, the charioteer quickly urges the horses and brings the chariot into motion/position for Bhīmasena. The speed of the response is described as ‘almost wondrous,’ emphasizing the intensity and rapid turns of the battle.