Mahabharata 7.148.46 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 148, Shloka 46
अध्याय १४८ — कर्णप्रभावः, धृष्टद्युम्नस्य विरथता, तथा घटोत्कच-आह्वानम्
Chapter 148: Karṇa’s Pressure, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Unhorsed, and the Summoning of Ghaṭotkaca
उत्कर्षन्तं सृजन्तं च न सम पश्याम लाघवात् | महाराज! उस समय अर्जुनकी अद्भुत फुर्तीके कारण हमलोग यह नहीं देख पाते थे कि वे कब बाण निकालते हैं
sañjaya uvāca |
utkarṣantaṃ sṛjantaṃ ca na sama paśyāma lāghavāt |
ādādānaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ saṃdadhānaṃ ca sāyakam ||
মহারাজ! সেই সময় অর্জুনের আশ্চর্য দ্রুততার কারণে আমরা দেখতে পেতাম না—কখন তিনি বাণ তুলছেন, কখন তা ছাড়ছেন; সেই মহাধনুর্ধরকে বাণ গ্রহণ করে ধনুকে সংযোজিত করতেও আমাদের দৃষ্টি ধরতে পারত না।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights excellence born of disciplined mastery: when skill is perfected, action becomes seamless and almost imperceptible. In the ethical frame of the epic, such prowess serves kṣatriya-dharma—effective protection and decisive action in war—while also reminding the listener that power can outstrip ordinary perception and must be guided by right purpose.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that Arjuna is shooting with such extraordinary speed that observers cannot distinguish the steps of archery—drawing an arrow, nocking it, drawing the bow, and releasing—because the entire sequence occurs too swiftly to follow.
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