Shloka 14
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
ततः शरसहस्रेण क्षिप्रकारी निशाचर: । अर्जुनस्य सुतं संख्ये पीडयामास भारत,भारत! तत्पश्चात् शीघ्रतापूर्वक सारे कार्य करनेवाले निशाचरने एक हजार बाण मारकर युद्धस्थलमें अर्जुनके पुत्रको पीड़ित कर दिया
tataḥ śarasahasreṇa kṣiprakārī niśācaraḥ | arjunasya sutaṃ saṅkhye pīḍayāmāsa bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: Then the night-ranging warrior, swift in action, assailed Arjuna’s son in the thick of battle, tormenting him with a thousand arrows. The scene underscores the ruthless intensity of war, where speed and force are used to overwhelm even the noble-born, testing endurance and resolve amid adharma-tinged violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, sheer speed and overwhelming force can be used to crush an opponent; ethically, it points to the harsh reality that martial prowess may be wielded without restraint, challenging the listener to reflect on the moral cost of conflict and the endurance demanded of warriors.
Sañjaya reports that a swift-acting niśācara (night-ranging, rākṣasa-like fighter) strikes Arjuna’s son with a thousand arrows on the battlefield, causing him severe distress and signaling an intensification of the combat.