Shloka 296
द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata
शार्टूलाविव चान्योन्यमामिषार्थेड भ्यगर्जताम् । महाराज! भीमसेनने कर्णके बाणोंको काटकर सिंहके समान गर्जना की। वे दोनों बलवान् वीर कभी गायके लिये लड़नेवाले दो साँड़ोंके समान हँकड़ते और कभी मांसके लिये परस्पर जूझनेवाले दो सिंहोंके समान दहाड़ते थे
śārṭūlāv iva cānyonyam āmiṣārthe ’bhyagarjatām | mahārāja! bhīmasenena karṇake bāṇān kāṭayitvā siṁhasamā garjanā kṛtā | tau ubhau balavantau vīrau kadācit gāvaḥ kṛte yudhyamānau dvau vṛṣabhāv iva huṅkṛtavantau, kadācit ca māṁsārthaṁ parasparaṁ yujhyamānau dvau siṁhāv iva nādavantau ||
Sañjaya berkata: Seperti dua ekor harimau mengaum sesama sendiri demi buruan, mereka melaung mencabar antara satu sama lain. Wahai Raja, Bhīmasena, setelah mematahkan anak-anak panah Karṇa, mengaum seperti singa. Kedua-dua wira perkasa itu kadang-kadang menguak seperti dua ekor lembu jantan berebut seekor lembu betina, dan kadang-kadang mengaum seperti dua ekor singa bergelut demi daging.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war amplifies possessiveness and predatory impulses (prey, flesh, possession), yet true martial excellence is shown through controlled power—here, Bhīma’s dominance is expressed by neutralizing Karṇa’s arrows and asserting courage without immediately resorting to indiscriminate slaughter.
Sañjaya describes the duel’s intensity: Bhīma cuts down Karṇa’s incoming arrows and roars like a lion. Both warriors then exchange terrifying cries, compared to tigers over prey, bulls fighting over a cow, and lions battling for meat—signaling a climactic escalation in their confrontation.