Shloka 2
Bhagadattā’s Deployment Against Ghaṭotkaca; Elephant-Corps Escalation
ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि धर्मपुत्रस्य शासनात् | अभ्यद्रवन्त गाड़ेयं मर्दयन्तं शितै: शरै:
tataḥ sarvāṇi sainyāni dharmaputrasya śāsanāt | abhyadravanta gāṅgeyaṃ mardayantaṃ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
അതിനുശേഷം ധർമ്മപുത്രൻ യുധിഷ്ഠിരന്റെ ആജ്ഞപ്രകാരം എല്ലാ സൈന്യങ്ങളും ഗംഗാപുത്രനായ ഭീഷ്മനിലേക്കു പാഞ്ഞുചെന്നു; അദ്ദേഹം അപ്പോൾ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകളാൽ പാണ്ഡവസേനയെ മർദിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined action under legitimate authority: warriors move as one at Yudhiṣṭhira’s command, embodying kṣatriya-dharma—acting decisively in a justly ordered chain of command even when facing a formidable elder like Bhīṣma.
Sañjaya reports that, on Yudhiṣṭhira’s order, the Pāṇḍava forces collectively charge Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya), who is already inflicting heavy damage on them with sharp arrows; the armies attempt to check and engage him directly.