Shloka 52
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
हयान् ध्वजं धनुर्मुष्टिमुभौ तौ पार्ष्णिसारथी । स तथा भियद्यमानेषु कार्मुकेषु पुन: पुन:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
hayān dhvajaṃ dhanurmuṣṭim ubhau tau pārṣṇisārathī |
sa tathā bhiyadyamāneṣu kārmukeṣu punaḥ punaḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。アルジュナはサティヤジトの馬と旗を討ち、弓とそれを握る手を砕き、さらに側衛と御者の二人をも戦えぬようにした。こうして弓はたびたび断たれ、馬は殺され、サティヤジトは戦場から逃げ去った。彼が戦を背にするのを見て、パンチャーラ王ドルパダは、パーンドゥの子アルジュナに向けて迅烈な矢の雨を降らせた。すると勝利の勇士の中でも第一のアルジュナは、王と大いなる戦いに入った。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: martial excellence is shown not merely by killing, but by disabling an opponent’s means of combat (horses, banner, bow, charioteer/guards), forcing retreat; it also shows how a leader (Drupada) responds when an ally withdraws, taking responsibility to continue the contest.
Arjuna overwhelms Satyajit by repeatedly breaking his bows and striking down his horses and support crew, causing Satyajit to flee. Drupada, seeing this retreat, immediately showers Arjuna with arrows and begins a major engagement with him.