Shloka 3
भीमसेनस्य गदायुद्ध-प्रभावः
The Battlefield Impact of Bhīmasena’s Mace Combat
स लोकविदितानश्वान् निजघान महाबल: । द्रौणे: पाउ्चालदायाद: शितैर्दशभिराशुगै:,महाबली पांचालराजकुमारने दस शीघ्रगामी पैने बाण मारकर अअश्वत्थामाके विश्वविख्यात घोड़ोंको मार डाला
sa lokaviditān aśvān nijaghāna mahābalaḥ | drauṇeḥ pāñcāladāyādaḥ śitair daśabhir āśugaiḥ ||
स लोकविदितानश्वान् निजघान महाबलः । द्रौणेः पाञ्चालदायादः शितैर्दशभिराशुगैः ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a grim aspect of kṣatriya warfare: victory often depends on tactical choices that harm supporting beings (like horses). It invites reflection on how dharma in war can prioritize strategic necessity, yet still carries moral weight because the means of combat inflict suffering beyond the principal fighters.
In the midst of battle, a powerful Pāñcāla prince shoots ten sharp, swift arrows and kills the famous horses of Aśvatthāman’s chariot, effectively crippling his mobility and placing him at a disadvantage.