Shloka 10
ततो धीमान् सारथिमब्रवीद् बली स भीमसेन: पुनरेव हृष्ट:,तत्पश्चात् बलवान् और बुद्धिमान भीमसेन हर्षसे उललसित हो अपने सारथिसे पुन: इस प्रकार बोले--'सूत! ये जो बहुत-से रथ और ध्वज एक साथ इधर बढ़े आ रहे हैं, उन्हें पहचानो तो सही! ये अपने पक्षके हैं या शत्रुपक्षके? क्योंकि युद्ध करते समय मुझे अपने- परायेका ज्ञान नहीं रहता, कहीं ऐसा न हो कि अपनी ही सेनाको बाणोंसे आच्छादित कर डालूँ
tato dhīmān sārathim abravīd balī sa bhīmasenaḥ punar eva hṛṣṭaḥ | tatpaścāt balavān ca buddhimān bhīmasenaḥ harṣeṇollasitaḥ sva-sārathim punaḥ evam uvāca— “sūta! ye bahavaḥ rathāḥ dhvajāś ca ekasminn eva saha iha abhitaḥ vardhamānāḥ dṛśyante, tān samyak vijānīhi. ete asmākaṃ pakṣasya vā śatrupakṣasya vā? yuddhe vartamānasya mama sva-para-jñānaṃ na tiṣṭhati; mā bhūt svām eva senāṃ bāṇair ācchādayeyam.”
Sañjaya said: Then the strong and clear-minded Bhīmasena, once again exhilarated, addressed his charioteer. “Charioteer! Look carefully and identify those many chariots and banners advancing together from this side. Are they of our own side or the enemy’s? For when I am engaged in battle, my sense of ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’ does not remain steady—let it not happen that I cover our own army with arrows.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in the heat of battle, a warrior must preserve discrimination and restraint. Bhīma’s request to identify friend and foe highlights ethical accountability—strength must be guided by clarity so that one does not harm one’s own side through rage or confusion.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, excited and ready to fight, notices many chariots and banners approaching together. Fearing confusion amid combat, he asks his charioteer to determine whether the approaching force belongs to the Pāṇḍavas or to the enemy, so he does not mistakenly shower arrows on allies.