Shloka 54
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
त्रासनीं सर्वभूतानां स्वसैन्यपरिहर्षिणीम् । मनुष्यलोके विख्यातां गिरिशृज्भविदारणीम्,उसमें सैकड़ों घंटियाँ लगी थीं, जिनका कलरव गूँजता रहता था। वह इन्द्रके वज्ञकी भाँति भयानक जान पड़ती थी। केंचुलसे छूटे हुए विषधर सर्पके समान वह सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके मनमें भय उत्पन्न करती थी और अपनी सेनाका हर्ष बढ़ाती रहती थी। उसमें हाथीके मद लिपटे हुए थे। पर्वतशिखरोंको विदीर्ण करनेवाली वह गदा मनुष्यलोकमें सर्वत्र विख्यात है
trāsanīṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ svasainyapariharṣiṇīm | manuṣyaloke vikhyātāṁ giriśṛṅgabhidāraṇīm ||
Sañjaya said: “That mace, famed throughout the world of men, was a terror to all creatures and a source of exhilaration to its own army. It was said to be capable of rending mountain-peaks—an emblem of war’s dreadful power, inspiring confidence in one side while spreading fear in all others.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: the same instrument that boosts one side’s morale simultaneously becomes a source of terror for living beings. It implicitly points to how violence amplifies fear and pride, shaping collective behavior on the battlefield.
Sañjaya is describing a famed mace in vivid, hyperbolic terms—terrifying to all creatures, heartening to its wielder’s troops, and powerful enough to split mountain peaks—emphasizing its reputation and psychological impact in battle.