Shloka 105
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
सुवर्णपत्राश्न पतन्ति पश्चाद् दृष्टवा रथं श्वेतहयप्रयुक्तम् अहं होकः पार्थिवान् सर्वयोधान् शरान् वर्षन् मृत्युलोक॑ नयेयम्
savar47apatr01bn01 patanti pabc01d d563636d63v01 ratha bveta-haya-prayuktam | aha ho4563 p01rthiv01n sarva-yodh01n 5bar01n var 63an m5tyu-loka nayeyam ||
Sañjaya sagte: „Wenn sie meinen Wagen sehen, der mit weißen Pferden angespannt ist, stürzen die Vögel, die Suvarṇapatra heißen, von hinten herab. Aus diesem Vorzeichen scheint, dass ich allein einen Pfeilhagel niedergehen lasse und alle Könige und Krieger in das Reich des Todes sende.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the war-ethos of confidence and intimidation, framed through omens: a warrior interprets a striking sign (birds swooping at the chariot) as confirmation of impending slaughter. Ethically, it reflects how martial pride can read fate as license for violence, a recurring tension in the Mahabharata between kshatriya duty and the human cost of war.
Sanjaya reports a speaker's boast: seeing the chariot drawn by white horses, Suvar47apatra birds swoop from behind, taken as an omen. The speaker concludes that he will single-handedly rain arrows and send kings and warriors to the realm of Death.