Shloka 47
ततस्ते प्राद्रवन् भीता: प्रतीपं प्रहिता: पुन: । महामात्रैस्तमावत्रुमेंघा इव दिवाकरम्,फिर तो वे हाथी भयभीत होकर भागने लगे। तत्पश्चात् महावतोंने जब उन्हें पीछे लौटाया, तब वे भीमसेनको घेरकर खड़े हो गये, मानो बादलोंने सूर्यदेवको ढक लिया हो
tatas te prādravan bhītāḥ pratīpaṃ prahitāḥ punaḥ | mahāmātraiḥ tam āvṛtāḥ meghā iva divākaram ||
Санджая сказал: «Тогда те слоны, охваченные страхом, бросились бежать. Но когда погонщики вновь погнали их навстречу врагу, они сомкнулись вокруг Бхимасены, окружив его — словно тучи закрыли солнце».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension of warfare: fear causes even powerful creatures to break, while human command and coercion force them back into danger. Against this, Bhīma’s steadiness is implied—true valor is tested when one is ‘covered’ by overwhelming opposition.
Elephants on the battlefield panic and run. Their mahouts turn them back toward the enemy, and they mass around Bhīmasena, surrounding him so densely that he is compared to the sun hidden by clouds.