भीमसेनो ऽपि तान् सर्वान् प्रत्यविध्यन् महाबलः ॥
द्रोणं पञ्चाशतेषूणां कर्णं च दशभिः शरैः ॥
दुर्योधनं द्वादशभिर् द्रौणिं चाष्टाभिर् आशुगैः ॥
आरावं तुमुलं कुर्वन्न् अभ्यवर्तत तान् रणे ॥
तस्मिन् संत्यजति प्राणान् मृत्युसाधारणीकृते ॥
अजातशत्रुस् तान् योधान् भीमं त्रातेत्य् अचोदयत् ॥
bhīmaseno 'pi tān sarvān pratyavidhyan mahābalaḥ ||
droṇaṃ pañcāśateṣūṇāṃ karṇaṃ ca daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
duryodhanaṃ dvādaśabhir drauṇiṃ cāṣṭābhir āśugaiḥ ||
ārāvaṃ tumulaṃ kurvann abhyavartata tān raṇe ||
tasmin saṃtyajati prāṇān mṛtyusādhāraṇīkṛte ||
ajātaśatrus tān yodhān bhīmaṃ trātety acodayat ||
Mighty Bhimasena struck them all back in turn: Drona with fifty arrows, Karna with ten arrows, Duryodhana with twelve, and the son of Drona with eight swift ones. Raising a thunderous cry, he rushed at them in battle. When, matching death, he gave up his life without sparing himself, Ajatashatru urged those warriors: "Save Bhima!"
08cbb5efa4a6 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
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Bhima, alone against four, "matched death" — casting aside all care for his own life; seeing this, Yudhishthira sends him aid. Here is shown the elder brother's care for one who risks himself — the king does not leave the bold man to perish alone. It is telling that even the greatest valor needs support when too much is gathered against it. The verse teaches that readiness to give one's life without reserve makes a warrior formidable but also vulnerable, for one cannot forever stand against many; that a loving leader does not let the brave man perish alone, sending help in time; and that the true strength of an army lies in mutual rescue, when the courage of one is upheld by the care of all, so it is not turned into vain destruction.