Shloka 15
Adhyāya 8: Saṃprahāra-varṇana and Bhīma–Kṣemadhūrti Dvipa-Yuddha
Combat Description and Elephant Duel
यो नामन्यत वै नित्यमच्युतं च धनंजयम् । न वृष्णीन् सहितानन्यान् स्वबाहुबलदर्पितः
yo nāmanyata vai nityam acyutaṃ ca dhanaṃjayam | na vṛṣṇīn sahitān anyān svabāhubaladarpitaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Dibutakan oleh keangkuhan terhadap kekuatan tubuhnya sendiri, dia tidak pernah menaruh hormat yang sewajarnya kepada Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa) dan Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna), bahkan terhadap para Vṛṣṇi lain yang datang bersama mereka pun dia memandang remeh.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride in one’s own power (svabāhubaladarpitaḥ) leads to moral and strategic blindness: it makes a person dismiss those who embody steadiness (Acyuta/Kṛṣṇa), righteous prowess (Dhanaṃjaya/Arjuna), and the strength of a united community (the Vṛṣṇis).
Vaiśampāyana describes a warrior whose arrogance causes him to disregard Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, and the assembled Vṛṣṇis—setting the tone for the consequences that follow when one underestimates formidable, dharmically aligned opponents.