Shloka 8
Duryodhana’s Anxiety, Bhīṣma’s Reassurance, and Renewed Mobilization (दुर्योधनचिन्ता–भीष्मप्रत्याश्वासन–सेनानिर्गमनम्)
ततः क्रोधाभिताम्राक्ष: कृष्णेन सह फाल्गुन: । दीर्घमुष्णं च नि:श्वस्य चिन्तयित्वा पुन: पुन: ७ ।।
tataḥ krodhābhitāmrākṣaḥ kṛṣṇena saha phālgunaḥ | dīrgham uṣṇaṃ ca niḥśvasya cintayitvā punaḥ punaḥ || dhanuḥ prapīḍya vāmena kareṇāmitrakarśanaḥ | gāṇḍīvadhanvā saṃkruddhaḥ śitān saṃnataparvaṇaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Dann sann Phālguna (Arjuna), mit Kṛṣṇa an seiner Seite, die Augen vom Zorn gerötet, immer wieder nach, während er lange, heiße Atemzüge zog. Er presste den Bogen mit der linken Hand; und der Bezwinger der Feinde—der Träger der Gāṇḍīva—erhob sich im Grimm, ergriff scharfe Pfeile mit fest gefügten Schäften, entschlossen, Leben zu beenden. Die Szene macht deutlich, dass im Krieg diszipliniertes Handeln mit aufwallendem Zorn ringen muss und dass der Entschluss eines Kriegers, gereizt, zu tödlicher Absicht verhärten kann.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension in battle: anger can drive a warrior toward excessive violence, so even when action is required by kṣatriya-duty, it must be tempered by reflection and restraint; otherwise resolve becomes mere wrath.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna, accompanied by Kṛṣṇa, becoming visibly enraged, breathing hard, thinking repeatedly, then steadying his bow and taking up sharp arrows—preparing to strike decisively on the battlefield.