Shloka 17
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
ट्रुपदस्य शरा घोरा विचेरु: सर्वतो दिशम् । ततः शड्खाश्न भेर्यश्व मृदड़ाश्न सहस्रश:
drupadasya śarā ghorā viceruḥ sarvato diśam | tataḥ śaṅkhaś ca bheryaś ca mṛdaṅgāś ca sahasraśaḥ, dhanurjyātalaśabdaś ca saṃspṛśya gaganaṃ mahān ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Anak panah Drupada yang menggerunkan berlegar ke segala arah. Kemudian, melihat kemenangan baginda, di rumah-rumah kaum Pāñcāla beribu-ribu sangkakala, gendang besar, dan mṛdaṅga bergema serentak. Laungan seperti singa para pahlawan Pāñcāla yang teguh semangatnya bangkit dengan dahsyat, dan dentingan besar tali busur merebak ke langit lalu bergaung jauh dan luas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial success quickly becomes a public, collective event: victory is marked by disciplined force (arrows, bowstrings) and by communal proclamation (conches and drums). Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya world where prowess and morale are reinforced through shared signals and celebration.
Drupada’s forces are prevailing; his arrows are described as sweeping all directions. Observing this success, the Pāñcālas celebrate loudly—conches and drums sound, warriors roar, and the twang of bowstrings reverberates through the sky.