Shloka 53
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
हयेषु विनियुक्तेषु विमुखो5भवदाहवे । स सत्यजितमालोक्य तथा विमुखमाहवे
hayesu viniyukteṣu vimukho 'bhavad āhave | sa satyajitam ālokya tathā vimukham āhave ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Apabila kudanya telah dipukul hingga tidak lagi berguna, dia berpaling daripada pertempuran. Melihat Satyajit berundur demikian—berulang kali dilucutkan busur dan kehilangan kuda—dia pun melarikan diri dari medan. Menyaksikan dia menjauh daripada perang, Raja Drupada dari Pāñcāla mula menghujani Arjuna, putera Pāṇḍu, dengan rentetan anak panah yang pantas. Lalu Arjuna, terunggul antara para wira yang menang, pun memasuki pertempuran yang sengit dengannya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma: steadfastness and responsibility in battle are honored, while losing one’s means (horses, bow) and turning away signals a breakdown of martial resolve; the narrative then moves to the next accountable warrior (Drupada) who continues the contest.
Satyajit, after his horses are disabled and his fighting capacity repeatedly compromised, withdraws and flees. Seeing this, Drupada begins a rapid arrow-shower against Arjuna, and Arjuna responds by engaging Drupada in a major fight.