Shloka 57
गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह
Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation
संधाय विशिखं चैव शरं लोमप्रवाहिनम्
sandhāya viśikhaṃ caiva śaraṃ lomapravāhinam
Sañjaya said: “He fitted the arrowhead and then set in place an arrow that would make the hair bristle, preparing to discharge it.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the intentional, crafted nature of violence in battle: weapons are prepared not only to strike but also to terrify. Ethically, it underscores how fear becomes a tool in warfare, reminding the reader that war operates through both physical harm and psychological intimidation.
Sañjaya describes a warrior’s immediate action on the battlefield: he readies an arrow by fitting/adjusting its head and preparing a ‘hair-raising’ missile, signaling an impending shot meant to shock or overwhelm the opponent.