Shloka 53
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
तापयामास च ट्रौणिं शैनेय: परवीरहा । विमुक्तो मेघजालेन यथैव तपनस्तथा,फिर शत्रुवीरोंका संहार करनेवाले युयुधानने मेघोंकी घटासे मुक्त हुए सूर्यकी भाँति द्रोणपुत्रको संताप देना आरम्भ किया
tāpayāmāsa ca trauṇiṃ śaineyaḥ paravīrahā | vimukto meghajālena yathaiva tapanas tathā ||
Sañjaya sprach: Und Śaineya (Yuyudhāna), der Töter feindlicher Helden, begann Droṇas Sohn zu versengen. Vom wolkengleichen Netz der Waffen befreit, loderte er gegen ihn auf wie die Sonne, die, aus einem Gewölk entlassen, mit erneuerter Kraft brennt. Der Vers betont, dass unter dem moralischen Druck des Krieges die Kraft der Tapferkeit wächst, sobald hemmende Abwehrwerke zerbrochen sind.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a sun-and-cloud metaphor to show that when obstructing defenses are removed, a warrior’s force can manifest with greater intensity. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension: martial excellence is admired, yet it operates within the harsh, escalating logic of battlefield duty (kṣatriya-dharma), where overcoming screens and countermeasures leads to renewed, often devastating, pressure on the opponent.
Sañjaya narrates that Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki), called Śaineya, turns fiercely upon Aśvatthāman (Trauṇi), son of Droṇa, and begins to ‘scorch’ him in combat. The comparison is to the sun emerging from a thick cover of clouds and then burning brightly—suggesting that after breaking through a dense barrage or concealment, Sātyaki’s attack becomes especially overpowering.