Shloka 29
Adhyāya 78 — Bhīṣma’s Advance, Duryodhana’s Rally, and Concurrent Duels (भीष्मस्याभ्युद्यमः, दुर्योधनस्योत्साहवचनम्, विविधयुद्धवर्णनम्)
भीमसेनस्तु कौन्तेयो द्रोणं दृष्टवा पराक्रमी | अभ्ययाज्जवनैरश्वैर्भारिद्वाजस्य वाहिनीम्,पराक्रमी कुन्तीकुमार भीमसेनने द्रोणाचार्यको देखकर वेगशाली अअभ्रोंद्वारा द्रोणकी सेनापर धावा किया
bhīmasenas tu kaunteyo droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā parākramī | abhyayāj javanaiḥ aśvaiḥ bhāradvājasya vāhinīm ||
Sañjaya berkata: Bhīmasena yang perkasa, putera Kuntī, apabila melihat Droṇa, terus menyerbu ke arah bala tentera Bhāradvāja (Droṇa), sambil memacu kuda-kuda yang pantas. Rangkap ini menonjolkan tekad Bhīma yang tidak gentar serta etika kesatria: berhadapan secara langsung dengan guru-jeneral yang digeruni, di tengah tuntutan dharma dalam peperangan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: decisive courage and direct engagement with a powerful opponent, even when that opponent is a revered teacher-figure. It reflects the tension between personal reverence and the impersonal demands of duty on the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, seeing Droṇa on the field, advances in a swift charge with fast horses against Droṇa’s forces—signaling an aggressive attempt to break or confront the commander’s formation.