Shloka 24
Droṇa–Arjuna Yuddha; Trigarta-Āvaraṇa; Bhīmasena Gajānīka-bheda
Droṇa and Arjuna Engage; Trigarta Containment; Bhīma Breaks the Elephant Corps
चेदिपो वसुदानश्न दशार्णाधिपतिस्तथा । भारत! गर्जते हुए मेघके समान राजा भगदत्तको धावा करते देख भीमसेन
cedipo vasudānaś ca daśārṇādhipatis tathā | bhārata garjateva megha-samo rājā bhagadattaṃ dhāvantaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmaseno 'bhimanyur rākṣaso ghaṭotkacaḥ draupadeyāḥ pañca satyadhṛtiḥ kṣatradevaś ca cedīrājo dhṛṣṭaketur vasudāno daśārṇarājaś caite sarve pāṇḍavapakṣīyā mahārathāḥ krodhāviṣṭāḥ pratīkartum ājagmuḥ || supratīkena tān api bhagadatto 'py upādravat | kathayāmāsa durdharṣo viniḥśvasya punaḥ punaḥ ||
Disse Sañjaya: Ó Bhārata, ao ver o rei Bhagadatta—como uma nuvem trovejante e rugidora—avançar em carga, Bhīmasena, Abhimanyu, o rākṣasa Ghaṭotkaca, os cinco filhos de Draupadī, Satyadhṛti, Kṣatradeva, o rei de Cedi Dhṛṣṭaketu, Vasudāna e o soberano de Daśārṇa—todos esses grandes guerreiros de carro do lado dos Pāṇḍavas, inflamados de ira, adiantaram-se para enfrentá-lo. Então Bhagadatta também, montado no elefante Supratīka, arremeteu contra eles. O combatente difícil de subjugar, soltando longos suspiros repetidas vezes, continuou a relatar os acontecimentos—e sua agitação revelava quão ferozmente a luta apertava os chefes naquela guerra terrível.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of meeting force with disciplined resistance: when a formidable aggressor charges, the Pāṇḍava champions do not yield to fear but unite to counter him. It also subtly warns that anger (krodha) powers action yet intensifies the war’s destructiveness, pushing the conflict toward greater loss of life.
Bhagadatta advances fiercely, compared to a roaring cloud. In response, multiple Pāṇḍava-side elite warriors—Bhīma, Abhimanyu, Ghaṭotkaca, the Draupadeyas, and allied kings—move to confront him. Bhagadatta, mounted on his elephant Supratīka, charges into them, and the scene turns into a grim, escalating clash.