Shloka 453
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
यद् गदाभिहतो भीमो नाकम्पत पदात् पदम् | राजन्! गदाकी चोट खाकर भी जो भीमसेन एक पग भी इधर-उधर नहीं हुए, वह महान् आश्वर्यकी बात थी, जिसकी सभी सैनिकोंने भूरि-भूरि प्रशंसा की
yad gadābhihato bhīmo nākampata padāt padam | rājan |
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, meskipun Bhīma dipukul dengan gada, dia tidak berganjak walau setapak. Keteguhan di tengah hentaman yang menghancurkan itu merupakan suatu keajaiban, dan para pahlawan di kedua-dua pihak memujinya dengan besar—lambang tekad yang tidak tergoyahkan di tengah amukan pertempuran.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness under adversity: true strength is not merely the ability to strike, but the capacity to remain unshaken when struck. In the ethical frame of kṣatriya-dharma, composure and firmness in the face of danger are praised as marks of heroic discipline.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma, even after being hit by a mace, did not stagger or give ground by even a step. The surrounding warriors regard this as extraordinary and praise Bhīma’s unwavering stance during the mace-combat episode of the war.