Shloka 46
दन्तवेष्टेषु नेत्रेषु कुम्भेषु च कटेषु च । मर्मस्वपि च मर्मज्ञस्तान्ू नागानवधीद् बली,मर्मस्थलोंको जाननेवाले बलवान् भीमसेनने उन गजराजोंके मर्मस्थानों, ओठों, नेत्रों, कुम्भस्थलों और कपोलोंपर भी गदासे चोट पहुँचायी
dantaveṣṭeṣu netreṣu kumbheṣu ca kaṭeṣu ca | marmsv api ca marmajñas tān nāgān avadhīd balī ||
Sañjaya said: The mighty Bhīmasena, skilled in discerning vital points, struck down those lordly elephants by landing blows with his mace upon their vulnerable spots—at the lips and eyes, upon the temples (kumbha-sthāna), and on the cheeks—using knowledge of weak points to overcome brute strength in the chaos of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the battlefield setting, victory often comes not merely from raw power but from disciplined knowledge and precise action—here, Bhīma’s marma-jñāna (knowledge of vital points) shows how skill and discernment can decisively overcome formidable opponents, while also highlighting the grim ethical weight of war where such knowledge is used to kill.
Sañjaya describes Bhīma fighting war-elephants and bringing them down by striking their vulnerable regions—lips/mouth area, eyes, temples (kumbha), and cheeks—using targeted mace-blows based on knowledge of vital points.