Mahabharata 9.11.54 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 11, Shloka 54
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
त्रासनीं सर्वभूतानां स्वसैन्यपरिहर्षिणीम् । मनुष्यलोके विख्यातां गिरिशृज्भविदारणीम्
trāsanīṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ svasainyapariharṣiṇīm | manuṣyaloke vikhyātāṁ giriśṛṅgabhidāraṇīm ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Gada itu menjadi kengerian bagi segala makhluk, namun menjadi pendorong kegirangan bagi bala tenteranya sendiri. Di dunia manusia ia termasyhur, dikatakan mampu membelah puncak-puncak gunung.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: the same instrument that boosts one side’s morale simultaneously becomes a source of terror for living beings. It implicitly points to how violence amplifies fear and pride, shaping collective behavior on the battlefield.
Sañjaya is describing a famed mace in vivid, hyperbolic terms—terrifying to all creatures, heartening to its wielder’s troops, and powerful enough to split mountain peaks—emphasizing its reputation and psychological impact in battle.
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