Shloka 11
अध्याय १४८ — कर्णप्रभावः, धृष्टद्युम्नस्य विरथता, तथा घटोत्कच-आह्वानम्
Chapter 148: Karṇa’s Pressure, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Unhorsed, and the Summoning of Ghaṭotkaca
ततो दिव्यास्त्रविदुषा प्रहिता: सायकांशव:,प्रलीनमीनमकरं सागराम्भ इवाभवत् | संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! उस समय अर्जुनके द्वारा खींचे जानेवाले गाण्डीव धनुषकी अत्यन्त भयंकर टंकार यमराजकी सुस्पष्ट गर्जना तथा इन्द्रके वज्रकी गड़गड़ाहटके समान जान पड़ती थी। उसे सुनकर आपकी सेना भयसे उद्विग्न हो बड़ी घबराहटमें पड़ गयी। उस समय उसकी दशा प्रलयकालकी आँधीसे क्षोभको प्राप्त एवं उत्ताल तरंगोंसे परिपूर्ण हुए उस महासागरके जलकी-सी हो गयी, जिसमें मछली और मगर आदि जलजन्तु छिप जाते हैं
tato divyāstraviduṣā prahitāḥ sāyakāṃśavaḥ, pralīnamīnamakaraṃ sāgarāmbha ivābhavat |
Sañjaya said: Then, the volleys of arrows released by the master of celestial weapons made the battlefield seem like the ocean at the time of dissolution—its waters churning so violently that fish and crocodiles vanish into hiding.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how mastery (vidyā) and disciplined execution in one’s duty can decisively shape outcomes: Arjuna’s expert use of weapons creates overwhelming pressure, causing the opposing force to lose composure. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring theme that in war, psychological collapse often follows from superior skill and resolve.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna unleashing dense volleys of arrows with celestial-weapon expertise. The scene is compared to a pralaya-like ocean where aquatic creatures hide—an image for the enemy army’s terror and disarray under Arjuna’s onslaught.