Shloka 55
कृष्णोपदेशः, अर्जुनस्य क्षमा-याचनम्, कर्णवध-अनुज्ञा
Krishna’s Counsel, Arjuna’s Apology, and Authorization for Karṇa’s Slaying
ततः शकुनिनिर्दिष्टा: सादिन: शूरसम्मता: । त्रिसाहस्राभ्ययुर्भीमं शक््त्यृष्टिप्रासपाणय:,तदनन्तर शकुनिके आदेशसे शूरवीरोंद्वारा सम्मानित तीन हजार घुड़सवारोंने हाथोंमें शक्ति, ऋष्टि और प्रास लेकर भीमसेनपर धावा बोल दिया
tataḥ śakuninirdiṣṭāḥ sādinaḥ śūrasammatāḥ | trisāhasrābhyayur bhīmaṃ śaktyṛṣṭiprāsapāṇayaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then, at Śakuni’s command, three thousand cavalrymen—acknowledged as valiant warriors—charged at Bhīma, weapons in hand: śaktis (javelins), ṛṣṭis (spears), and prāsas (lances). The scene underscores the ruthless momentum of battle, where strategy and numbers are marshalled to overwhelm a single formidable foe, testing courage and restraint amid the chaos of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war amplifies strategic calculation and collective force against individual prowess. Ethically, it points to the tension between valor and the harsh pragmatism of battle—where commanders deploy numbers and weapons to subdue even a mighty warrior, raising questions about proportionality and the moral cost of victory.
Sañjaya reports that Śakuni directs a contingent of three thousand cavalrymen, regarded as brave fighters, to charge Bhīma. They attack carrying javelins, spears, and lances, indicating a coordinated attempt to overwhelm Bhīma through massed assault.