Shloka 40
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
प्रत्युदुगम्याथ विव्याध सात्यकिस्तं शितै: शरै: । पाण्डवप्रियकामार्थ शार्टूल इव कुड्जरम्
pratyudugamyātha vivyādha sātyakis taṃ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ | pāṇḍavapriyakāmārthaṃ śārṭūla iva kuñjaram ||
Sañjaya said: Then Sātyaki advanced to meet him and pierced him with sharp arrows—seeking to do what was dear to the Pāṇḍavas—like a tiger striking an elephant.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights purposeful action in war: Sātyaki’s attack is motivated by allegiance and the aim of protecting/pleasing the Pāṇḍavas, illustrating how battlefield conduct is framed through duty and loyalty rather than private hatred.
Sātyaki advances to confront his opponent and wounds him with sharp arrows. The poet intensifies the scene with a simile: Sātyaki is like a tiger, and the opponent like an elephant—conveying ferocity, courage, and the high stakes of the duel.