Shloka 42
Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas
Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode
शरद्वानके पुत्र कृपाचार्य अत्यन्त अमर्षमें भरे थे। उनके प्राण बचानेकी इच्छावाले कौरव सैनिक सब ओरसे आकर उस युद्धमें अर्जुनपर बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे ।। ततो विराटस्य सुतः सव्यमावृत्य वाजिन: । यमकं मण्डल कृत्वा तान् योधान् प्रत्यवारयत्,यह देख विराटपुत्र उत्तरने घोड़ोंको दाँयीं ओरसे घुमाकर यमकमण्डलसे रथ-संचालन करते हुए उन सब योद्धाओंको बाणवर्षासे रोक दिया
tato virāṭasya sutaḥ savyam āvṛtya vājinaḥ | yamakaṁ maṇḍalaṁ kṛtvā tān yodhān pratyavārayat ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da wandte Virāṭas Sohn (Uttara) die Pferde nach links, lenkte den Wagen in einem doppelten Kreismanöver und hielt jene Krieger auf, sodass ihr Angriff stockte.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a crisis, dharma often appears as immediate protective action: using one’s skill and position to shield others from harm. Here, disciplined chariot-control and bravery become ethical conduct—standing between allies and danger rather than yielding to fear or confusion.
Uttara, the son of King Virāṭa, turns the chariot’s horses to the left and executes a circular ‘twin’ maneuver (yamaka-maṇḍala), thereby checking and driving back the attacking warriors who are pressing forward with volleys of arrows.