Shloka 22
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
नानानृपसुतान् वीरान् सैन्यानि विविधानि च । अलातचक्रवत् सर्व चरन् बाणैरतर्पयत्
nānānṛpasutān vīrān sainyāni vividhāni ca | alātacakravat sarvaṁ caran bāṇair atarpayat ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Gumagalaw siya sa lahat ng dako na parang nagliliyab na sulo na iniinog sa bilog, at sa mga palaso’y “pinuno” niya ang maraming magigiting na prinsipe at ang sari-saring hukbo nila—tinatamaan sa magkabilang panig at itinutulak ang labanan nang walang pahinga.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the alātacakra (whirling firebrand) simile to show how martial skill, when unleashed in war, becomes all-pervading and hard to escape—highlighting both the awe of valor and the ethical weight of widespread harm caused in battle.
Vaiśampāyana describes a warrior ranging across the battlefield, rapidly striking many princes and their assorted troops with volleys of arrows, as if circling like a spinning firebrand and hitting opponents on all sides.