Shloka 52
भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः
Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt
हयान् ध्वजं धनुर्मुष्टिमुभौ तौ पार्ष्णिसारथी । स तथा भियद्यमानेषु कार्मुकेषु पुन: पुन:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
hayān dhvajaṃ dhanurmuṣṭim ubhau tau pārṣṇisārathī |
sa tathā bhiyadyamāneṣu kārmukeṣu punaḥ punaḥ ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：阿周那击倒萨提耶吉特的战马与旗帜，震碎其弓并伤其执弓之手，又使侧卫与御者二人皆失去战力。于是弓屡被毁、马尽被杀，萨提耶吉特便逃离战场。见其如此背战而去，般遮罗王德鲁帕达便以迅疾箭雨倾泻于般度之子阿周那；而阿周那——胜利英雄之冠——遂与国王展开一场大战。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: martial excellence is shown not merely by killing, but by disabling an opponent’s means of combat (horses, banner, bow, charioteer/guards), forcing retreat; it also shows how a leader (Drupada) responds when an ally withdraws, taking responsibility to continue the contest.
Arjuna overwhelms Satyajit by repeatedly breaking his bows and striking down his horses and support crew, causing Satyajit to flee. Drupada, seeing this retreat, immediately showers Arjuna with arrows and begins a major engagement with him.