Shloka 5
Droṇa–Arjuna Yuddha; Trigarta-Āvaraṇa; Bhīmasena Gajānīka-bheda
Droṇa and Arjuna Engage; Trigarta Containment; Bhīma Breaks the Elephant Corps
एकादश समाख्याता अक्षौहिण्यश्न या मम । निदेशे तव तिष्ठन्ति मया सार्थ परंतप
sañjaya uvāca |
ekādaśa samākhyātā akṣauhiṇyaś ca yā mama |
nideśe tava tiṣṭhanti mayā sārdhaṃ parantapa |
kathayāmāsa durdharṣo viniḥśvasya punaḥ punaḥ |
Sañjaya disse: “Ó flagelo dos inimigos, as onze célebres akṣauhiṇīs que são minhas permanecem comigo, sob o teu comando.” Depois de dizer isso, o difícil de subjugar (Duryodhana) voltou a soltar, repetidas vezes, longos suspiros ao relatar o ocorrido—sua humilhação e o êxito do adversário—como se buscasse colocar sobre a autoridade de Bhīṣma o peso da liderança e a responsabilidade moral do massacre vindouro.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how power and military strength are ethically weighty: Duryodhana, shaken by setback, seeks legitimacy and direction from Bhīṣma. It suggests that in war, authority is not merely strategic but also moral—leaders try to transfer or share responsibility for consequences through appeals to senior guardians of dharma.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana, distressed and repeatedly sighing, approaches Bhīṣma and declares that his eleven renowned akṣauhiṇī armies stand ready under Bhīṣma’s command, while he recounts the troubling events that have undermined his confidence.