Shloka 2
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
चरन्तं गदया वीरं दण्डहस्तमिवान्तकम् । योधयामास समरे कालिड्र: सह सेनया,वीरवर भीमसेन जब गदा हाथमें लेकर विचरते हैं, तब दण्डधारी यमराजके समान जान पड़ते हैं। उनके साथ समरांगणमें सेनासहित कलिंगराजने किस प्रकार युद्ध किया?
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
carantaṁ gadayā vīraṁ daṇḍahastam ivāntakam |
yodhayāmāsa samare kāliṅgaḥ saha senayā ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra nói: “Khi dũng sĩ Bhīmasena cầm chùy đi khắp chiến địa, ông hiện ra như chính Tử Thần—như Diêm Vương cầm trượng trừng phạt. Vậy trong trận ấy, vua xứ Kaliṅga cùng quân đội đã giao chiến với ông ra sao?”
ध्ृतराष्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the awe-inspiring force of righteous martial power: Bhīma’s presence is likened to Yama, suggesting that in war the consequences of adharma and the inevitability of death become immediate. It also reflects the epic’s ethical tension—valor and duty (kṣatriya-dharma) operate within a field of grave moral stakes.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya to describe how the Kaliṅga king, supported by his army, fought against Bhīmasena, who is depicted as roaming the battlefield with a mace and appearing like Death personified.