Shloka 21

Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)

Devanagari script

स नागप्रवरो भीम॑ सहसा समुपाद्रवत्‌ । चरणाभ्यामथो द्वाभ्यां संहतेन करेण च,वह गजराज अपने दो पैरों तथा सिकोड़ी हुई सूँड़के द्वारा सहसा भीमसेनपर टूट पड़ा

Transliteration

sa nāgapravaro bhīmaṁ sahasā samupādravat | caraṇābhyām atho dvābhyāṁ saṁhatena kareṇa ca ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The foremost of elephants suddenly charged at Bhīmasena, striking at him with its two feet and with its trunk tightly gathered—an image of brute force unleashed in the chaos of war, where courage must meet uncontrolled might without losing steadiness of purpose.

Word by Word

सःhe/that (one)

नागप्रवरःthe foremost elephant

भीमम्Bhima

सहसाsuddenly, impetuously

समुपाद्रवत्rushed upon, charged at

चरणाभ्याम्with (his) two feet

अथthen, and

द्वाभ्याम्with two

संहतेनwith contracted/curled up

करेणwith the trunk (lit. hand)

चand

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Elephant (nāga)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield reality that raw power can strike suddenly; the ethical demand on a warrior is steadiness and courage under unexpected danger, maintaining resolve amid chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a powerful elephant abruptly charging Bhīmasena, attacking with its two feet and with its trunk held tightly together.