Shloka 22
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
नानानृपसुतान् वीरान् सैन्यानि विविधानि च । अलातचक्रवत् सर्व चरन् बाणैरतर्पयत्
nānānṛpasutān vīrān sainyāni vividhāni ca | alātacakravat sarvaṁ caran bāṇair atarpayat ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。輪のように振り回される火の松明のごとく、彼は至る所を駆け巡り、数多の勇ましき王子たちとその諸軍を矢で「満たし」—四方から打ち据え、戦いを一刻も止めずに押し進めた。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the alātacakra (whirling firebrand) simile to show how martial skill, when unleashed in war, becomes all-pervading and hard to escape—highlighting both the awe of valor and the ethical weight of widespread harm caused in battle.
Vaiśampāyana describes a warrior ranging across the battlefield, rapidly striking many princes and their assorted troops with volleys of arrows, as if circling like a spinning firebrand and hitting opponents on all sides.