Shloka 48
Adhyāya 16: Saṃśaptaka-vrata and the Diversion of Arjuna (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६)
नादृश्यत तदा राजंस्तत्र किंचन संयुगे । बाणान्धकारे महति कृते गाण्डीवधन्चना,राजन! उस रफक्षेत्रमें गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनने बाणोंके द्वारा महान् अन्धकार फैला दिया था। उसमें कुछ भी दिखायी नहीं देता था
na adṛśyata tadā rājan tatra kiñcana saṁyuge | bāṇāndhakāre mahati kṛte gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ||
Sañjaya said: O King, at that time in the battle nothing at all could be seen there, for the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva had created a vast darkness with his arrows. The scene conveys how martial prowess can overwhelm perception itself, turning the battlefield into a space where discernment and ordinary order collapse under the force of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war can eclipse clarity—literally and morally—by overwhelming the senses and making right judgment difficult. It also underscores the extraordinary power of a warrior, reminding the listener that strength in battle can reshape the very conditions of perception.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, wielding the Gāṇḍīva, released such a dense volley of arrows that it resembled a great darkness, and nothing on the battlefield could be seen.