Shloka 156
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
भीमसेन परित्यज्य संन्यवर्तन्त चेदय: । महाबली चेदि सैनिक यथाशक्ति पुरुषार्थ प्रकट करके भीमसेनको छोड़कर भाग चले
bhīmasenaṁ parityajya saṁnyavartanta cedayāḥ | mahābalī cedi-sainikā yathāśakti puruṣārthaṁ prakaṭya bhīmasenaṁ tyaktvā palāyanta ||
Sañjaya disse: Os guerreiros de Cedi, embora poderosos, exibiram sua valentia até onde puderam; contudo, abandonando Bhīmasena, voltaram atrás e fugiram. A cena mostra como, no terror da batalha, a coragem pode ruir e tornar-se retirada diante de uma força avassaladora.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when warriors strive to show valor (puruṣārtha) to the best of their ability (yathāśakti), fear and the perception of an overpowering opponent can lead to abandonment and flight; the verse implicitly contrasts ideal kṣatriya steadfastness with human vulnerability under extreme pressure.
Sañjaya reports that the Cedi fighters, after attempting resistance, abandon Bhīma and withdraw; their formation breaks and they flee from the battlefield in the face of Bhīmasena’s onslaught.