Shloka 5
अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्
Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement
तेषां रथानामथ पृष्ठगोपा द्वात्रिंशवन्ये3भ्यपतन्त पार्थम् तथैव ते तं परिवार्य पार्थ विकृष्य चापानि महारवाणि,उन राजपुत्रोंके रथोंके जो दूसरे-दूसरे बत्तीस पृष्ठरक्षक थे, वे भी (सुशर्माके साथ ही) अर्जुनपर टूट पड़े। इसी प्रकार उन सबने अर्जुनको चारों ओरसे घेरकर महान् टंकारध्वनि करनेवाले अपने धनुष खींचे और जैसे मेघ पर्वतपर जलराशिकी वर्षा करते हैं, उसी प्रकार अर्जुनपर बाणसमूहोंकी वृष्टि करने लगे। उनके बाणसमूहोंकी वर्षासे पीड़ित होकर युद्धस्थलमें अर्जुनके हृदयमें बड़ा भारी रोष हुआ
teṣāṁ rathānām atha pṛṣṭhagopā dvātriṁśa-vanye 'bhyapatanta pārtham | tathaiva te taṁ parivārya pārtha vikṛṣya cāpāni mahāravāṇi ||
Sañjaya said: The rear-guards of those princes’ chariots—thirty-two in number—also rushed upon Pārtha (Arjuna). Surrounding him on all sides, they drew their bows that thundered with a great twang, and began to shower volleys of arrows upon Arjuna like rain-clouds pouring down on a mountain. Struck by that rain of shafts, Arjuna’s heart on the battlefield blazed with fierce wrath.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield reality that a warrior faces coordinated aggression and must respond with steadiness and disciplined force. It also implicitly warns that uncontrolled anger can arise under pressure, making self-mastery an ethical challenge even for the righteous fighter.
Sañjaya narrates that thirty-two rear-guard charioteers of the princes charge Arjuna, encircle him, draw their loudly twanging bows, and unleash a dense shower of arrows. Under this assault, Arjuna’s inner fury intensifies on the battlefield.