Shloka 52
द्वितीयं च तृतीयं च चतुर्थ पठचमं तथा । आत्तमात्तं महाराज भीमस्य धनुराच्छिनत्
dvitīyaṃ ca tṛtīyaṃ ca caturthaṃ pañcamaṃ tathā | āttam āttaṃ mahārāja bhīmasya dhanur āchinat |
Sañjaya said: “O King, again and again—on the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth occasion—he cut down Bhīma’s bow each time it was taken up. Thus, in the press of battle, Bhīma’s weapon was repeatedly shattered, showing how relentless and skillful the opposing warrior’s assault had become.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the intensity of kṣatriya warfare: perseverance under repeated setbacks and the decisive role of skill and timing. Ethically, it underscores how, in battle, resolve is tested not by a single blow but by repeated disruption of one’s means and composure.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma’s bow is cut down repeatedly—second, third, fourth, and fifth times—each time Bhīma takes it up again, indicating sustained pressure from an opposing warrior and the escalating ferocity of the encounter.