Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
धृष्टय्युम्नस्तु तं दृष्टवा कलिज्ञैः समभिद्रुतम् । भीमसेनममेयात्मा त्राणायाजौ समभ्ययात्
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā kaliṅgaiḥ samabhidrutam | bhīmasenam ameyātmā trāṇāyājau samabhyayāt ||
Sañjaya disse: Vendo Bhīmasena ser violentamente investido pelos guerreiros de Kaliṅga, Dhṛṣṭadyumna—de espírito incomensurável—avançou no campo de batalha para protegê-lo. A cena ressalta a ética do kṣatriya: permanecer ao lado do aliado na crise, onde a coragem não é apenas valor solitário, mas a guarda oportuna do companheiro sob ataque.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma expressed as protective responsibility: when an ally is overwhelmed, a leader’s duty is to intervene promptly. Ethical valor here is not mere aggression but safeguarding comrades and maintaining the integrity of one’s side in battle.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma is being charged by the Kaliṅga fighters. Observing this, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, described as possessing immeasurable spirit, moves toward Bhīma on the battlefield to defend and support him.