Shloka 19
अर्जुनस्य गुरुधर्मविलापः तथा शैनेयकर्णयोर्युद्धारम्भः | Arjuna’s Lament on Guru-Dharma and the Opening of the Sātyaki–Karṇa Duel
मच्छरैरग्निसंकाशैरविंद्धदेहानू सहस्रश: । “इस युद्धस्थलमें मेरे द्वारा मारे गये सहस्रों पैदलों, घुड़सवारों, रथियों और हाथीसवारोंको देखना, जिनके शरीर मेरे अग्निसदृश बाणोंद्वारा विदीर्ण हुए होंगे” ।। इत्येवं ब्रुवतस्तस्य सात्यकेरमितौजस:,अमित तेजस्वी सात्यकि जब इस प्रकार कह रहे थे, उसी समय युद्धके लिये उत्सुक हुए आपके सारे सैनिक शीघ्र ही उनके समीप आ पहुँचे। वे “दौड़ो, मारो, ठहरो, देखो-देखो” इत्यादि बातें बोल रहे थे
sañjaya uvāca | maccharair agnisaṅkāśair avinddha-dehānū sahasraśaḥ | “asmin yuddha-sthale mayā hatān sahasrāṇi padātīn aśvārohān rathino hastyaśvān ca paśyata, yeṣāṃ śarīrāṇi mama agni-sadṛśaiḥ śaraiḥ vidīrṇāni bhaviṣyanti” || ity evaṃ bruvatas tasya sātyaker amita-ojasāḥ, tadā yuddhāya utsukāḥ sarve tava sainikāḥ śīghram eva tasya samīpam upāgaman | te “dhāvata, jahi, tiṣṭhata, paśyata-paśyata” ity-ādi vākyāni bruvāṇāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “With arrows blazing like fire, he pierced bodies by the thousand. ‘Look here on this battlefield at the thousands of foot-soldiers, horsemen, chariot-warriors, and elephant-riders slain by me—men whose bodies will be torn apart by my fire-like shafts.’ While the mighty Sātyaki was speaking in this manner, all your troops, eager for battle, quickly closed in upon him, shouting commands such as, ‘Run! Strike! Stand fast! Look—look!’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial pride and violent rhetoric can inflame conflict: a warrior’s boast becomes a catalyst that draws opponents in, showing how speech in war functions ethically as provocation and psychologically as intimidation.
Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki, describing his fire-like arrows and the thousands he has slain or will slay, speaks defiantly; hearing and seeing this, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s troops—eager for combat—rush toward him, shouting battle-cries and commands.