Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 27
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)
रथानां च गजानां च वाजिनां च ससादिनाम् । सहस्रशतसड्घाता: शूराणामुग्रधन्विनाम्
rathānāṁ ca gajānāṁ ca vājīnāṁ ca sasādinām | sahasraśatasadghātāḥ śūrāṇām ugradhanvinām |
มีขบวนทัพหนาแน่นนับร้อยนับพัน ของวีรชนผู้ถือธนูอันดุดัน ทั้งนักรบรถศึก พลช้าง และพลม้า พร้อมผู้ติดตามบนพาหนะ
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents martial power as duty-bound protection: Bhīma’s swift violence is framed as safeguarding Virāṭa’s side against aggressive forces. It also implicitly highlights the grim ethical terrain of war—heroism and destruction occur together, and strength is justified by the responsibility to defend.
Suśarmā, after speaking, takes up his bow and withdraws with his brothers. At the same time, Bhīma rapidly arms himself with a mace and devastates large enemy formations—chariot troops, elephant riders, and cavalry—near King Virāṭa, also killing many infantrymen.