Shloka 32
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
अभिपत्य महाबाहुर्गरुत्मानिव वेगित: । सेनापते: क्षुरप्रेण शिरश्षिच्छेद पाण्डव:
sañjaya uvāca |
abhipatya mahābāhur garutmān iva vegitaḥ |
senāpateḥ kṣurapreṇa śiraś ciccheda pāṇḍavaḥ ||
মহাবাহু পাণ্ডব গরুড়ের ন্যায় বেগে ধেয়ে এসে ক্ষুরপ্র বাণে সেনাপতির মস্তক ছিন্ন করল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the battlefield setting, the verse highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of decisive action and fearlessness; ethically, it points to the grim reality that war demands swift, often irreversible deeds, inviting reflection on the heavy moral cost that accompanies victory.
Sanjaya describes a Pāṇḍava warrior rushing forward with great speed and cutting off the commander-in-chief’s head using a razor-edged arrow (kṣurapra), marking a sudden and decisive turn in the combat.