Shloka 33
गदया भीमसेनेन भिन्नकुम्भान् रजस्वलान् । धावमानानपश्याम कुग्जरान् पर्वतोपमान्,भीमसेनके गदा हाथमें लेते ही सारी कौरवसेना उद्दविग्न हो उठी। हमने देखा, भीमसेनकी गदासे उन धूलिधूसर पर्वताकार हाथियोंके कुम्भस्थल फट गये हैं और वे इधर- उधर भाग रहे हैं
sañjaya uvāca | gadayā bhīmasenena bhinnakumbhān rajasvalān | dhāvamānān apaśyāma kuñjarān parvatopamān |
Disse Sañjaya: Vimos os elefantes de guerra, enormes como montanhas, com as têmporas fendidas pela maça de Bhimasena—cobertos de poeira e sangrando—fugirem em pânico enquanto corriam. Assim que Bhimasena empunhou a maça, todo o exército dos Kauravas se alarmou; e diante de nós, aqueles elefantes de porte montanhoso, com as têmporas abertas, dispersavam-se em debandada.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and psychological reality of war: even immense power (mountain-like elephants) collapses under superior force, and fear spreads quickly. It implicitly warns that reliance on sheer might is unstable, and that violence produces panic and ruin rather than lasting security.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Bhima, wielding his mace, has smashed the temples of war-elephants. Dust-covered and wounded, the elephants break formation and run in different directions, signaling disruption and terror in the Kaurava forces.