Shloka 85
Śalya–Bhīma Gadāyuddham (मद्रराज-भीमसेन गदायुद्धम्)
प्रादुरासन् हर्षयन्त: सौभद्रमपलायिनम् । उस समय युद्धभूमिमें पीठ न दिखानेवाले सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्युका हर्ष बढ़ाते हुए नाना प्रकारके बाण-संचालनजनित शब्द और महान सिंहनाद प्रकट होने लगे || ८४ $ ।। तन्नामृष्यन्त पुत्रास्ते शत्रोर्विजयलक्षणम्,महाराज! उस समय आपके पुत्र शत्रुकी विजयकी सूचना देनेवाले उस सिंहनादको नहीं सह सके। वे सब-के-सब सहसा सब ओरसे अभिमन्युपर पैने बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे, मानो मेघ पर्वतपर जलकी धाराएँ बरसा रहे हों
prādurāsan harṣayantaḥ saubhadram apalāyinam | tanna amṛṣyanta putrās te śatror vijayalakṣaṇam mahārāja | te sarve sahasā sarvataḥ abhimanyum prati tīkṣṇabāṇavarṣaṃ pracakruḥ meghā iva parvate jaladhārāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Sounds of many kinds—born of rapid volleys of arrows—and a great lion-roar arose, heartening Saubhadra (Abhimanyu), who did not turn his back and flee from the battlefield. But, O King, your sons could not endure that lion-roar which signaled the enemy’s success. All of them, at once and from every side, began to shower Abhimanyu with sharp arrows, like clouds pouring streams of water upon a mountain.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma as steadfastness under pressure: Abhimanyu’s refusal to retreat becomes a moral and psychological force. It also shows how envy and intolerance of an opponent’s success can drive collective escalation, turning admiration-worthy valor into a trigger for intensified violence.
Abhimanyu’s triumphant battle-cry and the sounds of his archery rise on the field, encouraging him and signaling momentum for the Pāṇḍava side. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons cannot bear this sign of enemy victory and respond by surrounding Abhimanyu and unleashing a concentrated, all-sided barrage of arrows, compared to rain-clouds pouring torrents on a mountain.