Shloka 46
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
इदं सर्व बल॑ हन्मो येन सम परिवारिता: । एते सर्वे गजान् हत्वा उपयान्ति सम पाण्डवा:,वहाँ जो क्षत्रिय युद्ध कर रहे थे, उनके अधिकांश वाहन नष्ट हो गये थे। शरीर क्षत- विक्षत हो रहे थे। वे बाणोंसे पीड़ित होकर कुछ अस्पष्ट वाणीमें बोले--“हमलोग जिससे घिरे हैं, इस सारी सेनाको मार डालें। ये सारे पाण्डव गजसेनाका संहार करके हमारे समीप चले आ रहे हैं'
idaṁ sarva-balaṁ hanmo yena sma parivāritāḥ | ete sarve gajān hatvā upayānti sma pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Let us strike down this entire host by which we are surrounded. For the Pāṇḍavas, having slaughtered all the elephants, are now advancing toward us.” In the press of battle, the cry reflects both panic and resolve: the warriors, hemmed in and seeing their elephant-corps destroyed, urge a desperate counterattack to break encirclement and preserve their side’s remaining strength.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of immediate, collective resolve under threat: when surrounded and facing collapse of key assets (the elephant corps), warriors rally to decisive action to break encirclement. It illustrates how fear and duty coexist in kṣatriya warfare, where survival and protection of one’s side demand swift, coordinated response.
Sañjaya reports the words of embattled fighters who find themselves encircled. They note that the Pāṇḍavas have already destroyed the war-elephants and are closing in, prompting a call to kill the surrounding force and counter the advancing Pāṇḍavas.