Shloka 41
Śalya-parva Adhyāya 26 — Duryodhana’s remnant formation and rapid engagements
विद्राव्य च कुरून् सर्वास्तांश्व हत्वा पदानुगान् | दोर्भ्या शब्दं ततश्नक्रे त्रासयानो महाद्विपान्,समस्त कौरवोंको भगाकर और उनके अनुगामी सैनिकोंका संहार करके भीमसेनने बड़े-बड़े हाथियोंको डराते हुए अपनी दोनों भुजाओंद्वारा ताल ठोंकनेका शब्द किया
vidrāvya ca kurūn sarvān tāṁś ca hatvā padānugān | dorbhyāḥ śabdaṁ tataś cakre trāsayāno mahādvipān ||
Sañjaya said: Having routed all the Kurus and slain their followers who pursued in their wake, Bhīmasena then made a resounding clap/booming sound with his arms, striking terror into the great war-elephants. The scene underscores the brutal momentum of battle—victory expressed not only by killing but by breaking the enemy’s will through fear.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, force operates on both body and mind: after physical victory (routing and slaying), the hero amplifies psychological dominance by instilling fear, collapsing the enemy’s resolve. It also reflects the harsh kṣatriya battlefield ethic where intimidation and decisive violence are treated as instruments of victory.
Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s advance: he scatters the Kaurava ranks, kills the pursuing followers, and then makes a thunderous arm-clap/booming sound, frightening even the massive war-elephants and further destabilizing the opposing force.