Shloka 65
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
स नुन्नो$र्जुनबाणौधचैराचित: शल्यको यथा
sa nunno'rjunabāṇaughair ācitaḥ śalyako yathā
Sañjaya said: Struck and driven on by Arjuna’s torrents of arrows, he became bristling with shafts—like a porcupine—an image that underscores how relentless martial prowess can overwhelm even a seasoned warrior in the heat of righteous battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of kṣatriya warfare: skill and resolve, when directed by one’s duty, can become an irresistible force. It also cautions that in battle, even the mighty are subject to the consequences of superior prowess and momentum.
Sañjaya describes a warrior being relentlessly struck by Arjuna’s dense volleys of arrows, so that his body appears covered with shafts, compared to a porcupine bristling with spines.