Shloka 9
कृष्णोपदेशः, अर्जुनस्य क्षमा-याचनम्, कर्णवध-अनुज्ञा
Krishna’s Counsel, Arjuna’s Apology, and Authorization for Karṇa’s Slaying
एते रथै: परिवृता वीर्यवन्तो महाबला: । भीमसेनं समासाद्य समन्तात् पर्यवारयन्
sañjaya uvāca |
ete rathaiḥ parivṛtā vīryavanto mahābalāḥ |
bhīmasenaṃ samāsādya samantāt paryavārayan |
śrutarvā durdharaḥ krāthaḥ (krathanaḥ) vivitsuḥ vikaṭaḥ (vikaṭānanaḥ) samaḥ niṣaṅgī kavacī pāśī nandaḥ upanandaḥ duṣpradharṣaḥ subāhuḥ vātavegaḥ suvarcāḥ dhanugrāhaḥ durmadaḥ jalasandhaḥ śalaḥ saha ca—ete mahābalinaḥ parākramiṇaś ca tava putrāḥ bahusaṅkhyakaiḥ rathaiḥ parivṛtya bhīmasenasya samīpaṃ jagmuḥ, taṃ ca sarvataḥ paryavārya tasthuḥ |
Sañjaya disse: Cercados por seus carros, aqueles guerreiros poderosos—cheios de vigor e de grande força—aproximaram-se de Bhīmasena e o acossaram, cercando-o por todos os lados. Śrutarvā, Durdhara, Krātha (Krathana), Vivitsu, Vikaṭa (Vikaṭānana), Sama, Niṣaṅgī, Kavacī, Pāśī, Nanda, Upananda, Duṣpradharṣa, Subāhu, Vātavega, Suvarcā, Dhanugrāha, Durmada, Jalasandha, Śala e Saha—esses poderosos e valentes filhos teus, ó rei, avançaram com grande número de carros até Bhīma e ficaram de pé, circundando-o por todos os lados.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata tension between individual prowess and collective strategy: in war, even extraordinary strength (Bhīma’s) is met with coordinated force. Ethically, it reflects the battlefield’s grim logic—victory often depends less on single combat ideals and more on tactical containment and numbers.
Sañjaya reports that many of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons/warriors, riding in numerous chariots, advance toward Bhīma and form an encircling ring around him, attempting to trap and overwhelm him from all directions.