Shloka 96
भीमसेनस्य वेगाभिपातः—विशोकसारथिसंवादश्च
Bhīma’s surge and dialogue with charioteer Viśoka
शेकुस्ते सर्वराजानस्तपन्तमिव भास्करम् | महाराज! द्रोणपुत्रकी वह फुर्ती देखकर वहाँ खड़े हुए सभी महारथी नरेश आश्चर्ययकित हो उठे और तपते हुए सूर्यके समान तेजस्वी अश्वत्थामाकी ओर आँख उठाकर देख भी न सके
śekus te sarvarājānas tapantam iva bhāskaram | mahārāja! droṇaputrasya tāṁ sphūrtiṁ dṛṣṭvā tatra sthitāḥ sarve mahārathī nṛpā āścaryacakitā abhavan, tapantam iva sūryaṁ tejasvinaṁ aśvatthāmānaṁ prati ca cakṣūṁṣi utthāpya draṣṭum api na śekuḥ |
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Maharaja, tatkala melihat gelora tenaga yang garang dipamerkan oleh putera Droṇa, semua raja—para pahlawan kereta perang agung yang berdiri di situ—terpaku dalam kehairanan. Seperti manusia yang tidak mampu mengangkat mata memandang matahari yang menyala, mereka pun tidak sanggup menatap Aśvatthāmā yang bersinar itu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how overwhelming power and wrath in war can inspire fear and awe even among seasoned rulers, reminding that martial brilliance (tejas) has a psychological force that can unsettle judgment and courage—an implicit caution about the intoxicating and intimidating nature of battlefield energy.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Aśvatthāmā, Droṇa’s son, displays such blazing splendor and fierce momentum that the assembled kings and great warriors are astonished and cannot even lift their gaze to look at him, as if he were the scorching sun.