Shloka 132
तब द्रोणकुमार भार सहन करनेमें समर्थ दूसरा विशाल धनुष हाथमें लेकर, जैसे मेघ जलकी धारा बरसाता है, उसी प्रकार तीखे बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगा ।। ततः शारद्वतीपुत्र: प्रेषयामास भारत । सुवर्णपुड्खाउछत्रुघ्नानू खचरान् खचरं प्रति
tataḥ śāradvatīputraḥ preṣayāmāsa bhārata | suvarṇapuṅkhān kṣatrughnān khacarān khacaraṃ prati ||
Sañjaya said: Then the son of Śāradvatī (Aśvatthāmā), O Bhārata, began to loose a shower of arrows—gold-feathered and deadly to warriors—hurling them against the foes in the air, as a rain-cloud pours down streams of water.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary skill and power, when unleashed in war, can become indiscriminate devastation; it invites reflection on restraint (dama) and responsibility (dharma) even amid justified combat.
Sañjaya narrates that Aśvatthāmā takes up a great bow and begins releasing a rain-like volley of sharp, gold-feathered arrows, striking at airborne opponents/targets as the battle intensifies.