Shloka 27
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)
रथानां च गजानां च वाजिनां च ससादिनाम् । सहस्रशतसड्घाता: शूराणामुग्रधन्विनाम्,ऐसा कहकर सुशर्मा भाइयोंसहित धनुष उठाये लौट पड़ा। इधर महात्मा भीमसेनने निमेषमात्रमें ही गदा लेकर शत्रुओंके भयंकर धनुष धारण करनेवाले रथी, हाथीसवार और घुड़सवार वीरोंके एक लाख सैनिकोंके समूहोंको राजा विराटके समीप मार गिराया और बहुत-से पैदल सिपाहियोंका भी संहार कर डाला
rathānāṁ ca gajānāṁ ca vājīnāṁ ca sasādinām | sahasraśatasadghātāḥ śūrāṇām ugradhanvinām |
രഥങ്ങളും ഗജങ്ങളും വാജികളും—അവയിൽ (സഹചാരികളോടുകൂടി) കയറിയ ഉഗ്രധനുർധര ശൂരന്മാരുടെ നൂറുകളും ആയിരങ്ങളും ചേർന്ന സഘനസംഘങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents martial power as duty-bound protection: Bhīma’s swift violence is framed as safeguarding Virāṭa’s side against aggressive forces. It also implicitly highlights the grim ethical terrain of war—heroism and destruction occur together, and strength is justified by the responsibility to defend.
Suśarmā, after speaking, takes up his bow and withdraws with his brothers. At the same time, Bhīma rapidly arms himself with a mace and devastates large enemy formations—chariot troops, elephant riders, and cavalry—near King Virāṭa, also killing many infantrymen.