Shloka 48
तयो: संवदतोरेवं भीमसेनो<ब्रवीदिदम्,वे दोनों इस प्रकार बातें कर ही रहे थे कि भीमसेन बोल उठे--“महाराज! महामना द्रोणके वधका ऐसा उपाय सुनकर मैंने आपकी सेनामें विचरनेवाले मालवनरेश इन्द्रवर्माके अश्वत्थामानामसे विख्यात गजराजको, जो ऐरावतके समान शक्तिशाली था, युद्धमें पराक्रम करके मार डाला। फिर द्रोणाचार्यके पास जाकर कहा--'ब्रह्मन्! अश्व॒त्थामा मारा गया, अब युद्धसे निवृत्त हो जाइये।” परंतु इन पुरुषप्रवर द्रोणने निश्चय ही मेरी बातपर विश्वास नहीं किया है
tayor saṃvadator evaṃ bhīmaseno 'bravīd idam | “mahārāja! mahāmanā droṇasya vadhakā upāyaṃ śrutvā mayā tava senāyāṃ vicarato mālavarāja indravarmāṇaḥ aśvatthāmā-nāmase vikhyātaḥ gajarājaḥ, ya airāvata-samaḥ śaktimān, yuddhe parākrameṇa hatas tataḥ droṇācārya-samīpaṃ gatvā proktam— ‘brahman! aśvatthāmā hataḥ; idānīṃ yuddhāt nivartasva’ iti | kintu puruṣa-pravaro droṇo mama vacasi niścayena na viśvasiti”
Sanjaya said: As the two were conversing in this way, Bhimasena spoke: “O King! Having heard of the stratagem meant to bring about the death of the high-minded Drona, I slew in battle—by sheer prowess—the mighty elephant-king famed by the name ‘Ashvatthama,’ belonging to Indravarma, the Malava ruler who ranged within your army, and strong like Airavata. Then I went to Dronacharya and declared, ‘O Brahmin, Ashvatthama has been slain; now withdraw from the fight.’ Yet that foremost of men, Drona, has certainly not believed my words.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension between battlefield necessity and truthfulness: a tactical statement is crafted to break an invincible warrior’s resolve, showing how war can pressure even righteous agents into morally ambiguous means, and how intention and consequence collide with dharma.
Bhima reports that, to enable Drona’s fall, he killed an elephant named ‘Ashvatthama’ (belonging to Malava king Indravarma) and then told Drona that ‘Ashvatthama is slain,’ urging him to withdraw. Drona, however, does not accept Bhima’s claim as true.