एवं स तान्य् अनीकानि कलिङ्गानां पुनः पुनः ॥
बिभेद समरे वीरः प्रेक्ष्य भीष्मं महाव्रतम् ॥
हतारोहाश् च मातङ्गाः पाण्डवेन महात्मना ॥
विप्रजग्मुर् अनीकेषु मेघा वातहता इव ॥
मृद्नन्तः स्वान्य् अनीकानि विनदन्तः शरातुराः ॥
ततो भीमो महाबाहुः शङ्खं प्राध्मापयद् बली ॥
सर्वकालिङ्गसैन्यानां मनांसि समकम्पयत् ॥
मोहश् चापि कलिङ्गानाम् आविवेश परंतप ॥
प्राकम्पन्त च सैन्यानि वाहनानि च सर्वशः ॥
भीमेन समरे राजन् गजेन्द्रेणेव सर्वतः ॥
मार्गान् बहून् विचरता धावता च ततस् ततः ॥
मुहुर् उत्पतता चैव संमोहः समजायत ॥
भीमसेनभयत्रस्तं सैन्यं च समकम्पत ॥
क्षोभ्यमाणम् असंबाधं ग्राहेणेव महत् सरः ॥
त्रासितेषु च वीरेषु भीमेनाद्भुतकर्मणा ॥
पुनरावर्तमानेषु विद्रवत्सु च संघशः ॥
सर्वकालिङ्गयोधेषु पाण्डूनां ध्वजिनीपतिः ॥
अब्रवीत् स्वान्य् अनीकानि युध्यध्वम् इति पार्षतः ॥
सेनापतिवचः श्रुत्वा शिखण्डिप्रमुखा गणाः ॥
भीमम् एवाभ्यवर्तन्त रथानीकैः प्रहारिभिः ॥
धर्मराजश् च तान् सर्वान् उपजग्राह पाण्डवः ॥
महता मेघवर्णेन नागानीकेन पृष्ठतः ॥
एवं संचोद्य सर्वाणि स्वान्य् अनीकानि पार्षतः ॥
भीमसेनस्य जग्राह पार्ष्णिं सत्पुरुषोचिताम् ॥
न हि पाञ्चालराजस्य लोके कश् चन विद्यते ॥
भीमसात्यकयोर् अन्यः प्राणेभ्यः प्रियकृत्तमः ॥
सो ऽपश्यत् तं कलिङ्गेषु चरन्तम् अरिसूदनम् ॥
भीमसेनं महाबाहुं पार्षतः परवीरहा ॥
ननर्द बहुधा राजन् हृष्टश् चासीत् परंतपः ॥
शङ्खं दध्मौ च समरे सिंहनादं ननाद च ॥
स च पारावताश्वस्य रथे हेमपरिष्कृते ॥
कोविदारध्वजं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनः समाश्वसत् ॥
धृष्टद्युम्नस् तु तं दृष्ट्वा कलिङ्गैः समभिद्रुतम् ॥
भीमसेनम् अमेयात्मा त्राणायाजौ समभ्ययात् ॥
तौ दूरात् सात्यकिर् दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्नवृकोदरौ ॥
कलिङ्गान् समरे वीरौ योधयन्तौ मनस्विनौ ॥
स तत्र गत्वा शैनेयो जवेन जयतां वरः ॥
पार्थपार्षतयोः पार्ष्णिं जग्राह पुरुषर्षभः ॥
evaṃ sa tāny anīkāni kaliṅgānāṃ punaḥ punaḥ ||
bibheda samare vīraḥ prekṣya bhīṣmaṃ mahāvratam ||
hatārohāś ca mātaṅgāḥ pāṇḍavena mahātmanā ||
viprajagmur anīkeṣu meghā vātahatā iva ||
mṛdnantaḥ svāny anīkāni vinadantaḥ śarāturāḥ ||
tato bhīmo mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhaṃ prādhmāpayad balī ||
sarvakāliṅgasainyānāṃ manāṃsi samakampayat ||
mohaś cāpi kaliṅgānām āviveśa paraṃtapa ||
prākampanta ca sainyāni vāhanāni ca sarvaśaḥ ||
bhīmena samare rājan gajendreṇeva sarvataḥ ||
mārgān bahūn vicaratā dhāvatā ca tatas tataḥ ||
muhur utpatatā caiva saṃmohaḥ samajāyata ||
bhīmasenabhayatrastaṃ sainyaṃ ca samakampata ||
kṣobhyamāṇam asaṃbādhaṃ grāheṇeva mahat saraḥ ||
trāsiteṣu ca vīreṣu bhīmenādbhutakarmaṇā ||
punarāvartamāneṣu vidravatsu ca saṃghaśaḥ ||
sarvakāliṅgayodheṣu pāṇḍūnāṃ dhvajinīpatiḥ ||
abravīt svāny anīkāni yudhyadhvam iti pārṣataḥ ||
senāpativacaḥ śrutvā śikhaṇḍipramukhā gaṇāḥ ||
bhīmam evābhyavartanta rathānīkaiḥ prahāribhiḥ ||
dharmarājaś ca tān sarvān upajagrāha pāṇḍavaḥ ||
mahatā meghavarṇena nāgānīkena pṛṣṭhataḥ ||
evaṃ saṃcodya sarvāṇi svāny anīkāni pārṣataḥ ||
bhīmasenasya jagrāha pārṣṇiṃ satpuruṣocitām ||
na hi pāñcālarājasya loke kaś cana vidyate ||
bhīmasātyakayor anyaḥ prāṇebhyaḥ priyakṛttamaḥ ||
so 'paśyat taṃ kaliṅgeṣu carantam arisūdanam ||
bhīmasenaṃ mahābāhuṃ pārṣataḥ paravīrahā ||
nanarda bahudhā rājan hṛṣṭaś cāsīt paraṃtapaḥ ||
śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau ca samare siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca ||
sa ca pārāvatāśvasya rathe hemapariṣkṛte ||
kovidāradhvajaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenaḥ samāśvasat ||
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā kaliṅgaiḥ samabhidrutam ||
bhīmasenam ameyātmā trāṇāyājau samabhyayāt ||
tau dūrāt sātyakir dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnavṛkodarau ||
kaliṅgān samare vīrau yodhayantau manasvinau ||
sa tatra gatvā śaineyo javena jayatāṃ varaḥ ||
pārthapārṣatayoḥ pārṣṇiṃ jagrāha puruṣarṣabhaḥ ||
Thus the hero, again and again, broke through the ranks of the Kalingas as he looked upon Bhishma of the great vow. Elephants whose riders had been slain, struck down by the great-souled Pandava, scattered among the ranks like clouds driven before the wind; tormented by arrows, they bellowed and trampled their own formations. Then mighty-armed Bhima blew his conch, and its sound shook the hearts of the entire Kalinga army. Confusion seized the Kalingas, O scorcher of foes; their troops and every conveyance trembled. From Bhima, who moved everywhere across the battlefield like a lord of elephants, taking many paths, darting to and fro, and repeatedly leaping up, a general bewilderment arose. The army, terrified by dread of Bhimasena, shook like a great lake churned up by a crocodile. When the heroes had been terrified by Bhima of wondrous deeds, some turned back while others fled in bands; then the commander of the Pandavas, the son of Prishata, called to his own troops: "Fight!" Hearing the general's command, the bands led by Shikhandin advanced straight upon Bhima with striking chariot formations, while the King of Righteousness, the son of Pandu, supported them from behind with a great cloud-colored elephant division. Having thus rallied all his forces, the son of Prishata took up the rear-guard befitting a noble warrior, protecting Bhimasena. For in all the world there existed for the king of Panchala no one dearer or more devoted than Bhima and Satyaki. The son of Prishata, destroyer of enemy heroes, saw mighty-armed Bhimasena, the scorcher of foes, at work among the Kalingas. He roared again and again and rejoiced, O king; he blew his conch in the battle and let out a lion's roar. And Bhimasena, seeing on a gold-adorned chariot drawn by dove-colored horses the banner bearing the kovidara tree, took heart. Dhrishtadyumna, seeing that Bhima of immeasurable spirit was beset by the Kalingas, advanced into the fight to protect him. Satyaki, from afar, saw Dhrishtadyumna and Vrikodara, those two steadfast heroes, battling the Kalingas; hastening there, Shaineya, the foremost of victors, took upon himself the rear-guard defense of the son of Pritha and the son of Prishata.
f20badf0bd0b · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:12:34 PM UTC
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Bhima does not stand alone for long: Dhrishtadyumna, Yudhishthira, Shikhandin, and Satyaki rally around him to organize support. This is a telling turn in the chapter — personal strength becomes part of a shared defense.