Shloka 4
तत:ः शरसहस्रेण सुप्रयुक्तेन पाण्डव: । द्रोणपुत्रमवच्छाद्य सिंहनादममुज्चत,तदनन्तर पाण्डुपुत्र भीमने अच्छी तरह चलाये हुए एक हजार बाणोंसे द्रोणपुत्रको आच्छादित करके घोर सिंहनाद किया
tataḥ śarasahasreṇa suprayuktena pāṇḍavaḥ | droṇaputram avacchādya siṃhanādam amuñcata ||
Sañjaya said: Then the Pāṇḍava (Bhīma), with a thousand well-aimed arrows, completely covered Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā) and let out a fierce lion-roar. In the heat of battle, this act signals both martial prowess and an attempt to shake the opponent’s resolve through intimidation and confidence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya conduct in war: skillful use of weapons and the projection of courage. Ethically, it shows how confidence and intimidation function as instruments in battle, testing an opponent’s steadiness (dhairya) as much as physical defense.
Bhīma, one of the Pāṇḍavas, showers Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son) with a thousand well-aimed arrows, effectively blanketing him, and then roars like a lion—an aggressive challenge meant to assert dominance and unsettle the foe.