Shloka 26
एते द्रवन्ति सम रथाश्वनागा: पदातिसड्घानतिमर्दयन्त: | सम्मुहमाना: कौरवा: सर्व एव द्रवन्ति नागा इव दाहभीता:
bhīmasena uvāca |
ete dravanti sama-rathāśva-nāgāḥ padāti-saṅghān atimardayantaḥ |
sammuhyamānāḥ kauravāḥ sarva eva dravanti nāgā iva dāha-bhītāḥ ||
毗摩说道：“看——那些军队在逃奔，战车、战马与战象尽皆混乱，奔走之间还践踏碾压成群的步卒。确实，所有俱卢人都在恍惚中退却——如同惧怕林火烈焰的群象一般。”
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and confusion can collapse even a powerful force: when leadership and morale break, the strong trample their own ranks in panic. Ethically, it implies the kṣatriya ideal of steadiness in battle and warns against the destructive consequences of uncontrolled terror.
Bhīma observes the Kaurava forces in disarray. Chariots, horses, and elephants are retreating so chaotically that they crush the infantry, and the Kauravas flee like elephants frightened by a forest fire.