Shloka 50
अर्जुनस्य सैन्धवाभिमुखगमनम् तथा विन्दानुविन्दयोर्वधः
Arjuna’s advance toward Saindhava and the fall of Vinda–Anuvinda
यदि जयद्रथ पातालमें घुस जाय या उससे भी आगे बढ़ जाय अथवा आकाश, देवलोक या दैत्योंके नगरमें जाकर छिप जाय तो भी मैं कल अपने सैकड़ों बाणोंसे अभिमन्युके उस घोर शत्रुका सिर अवश्य काट लूँगा ।। एवमुकक््त्वा विचिक्षेप गाण्डीवं सव्यदक्षिणम् । तस्य शब्दमतिक्रम्य धनु:शब्दोडस्पृशद् दिवम्,ऐसा कहकर अर्जुनने दाहिने और बायें हाथसे भी गाण्डीव धनुषकी टंकार की। उसकी ध्वनि दूसरे शब्दोंको दबाकर सम्पूर्ण आकाशमें गूँज उठी
arjuna uvāca | yadi jayadrathaḥ pātāle praviśed vā tato 'pi paraṁ gacched athavā ākāśe devaloke vā daityānāṁ nagare vā gatvā nihitaḥ syāt, tathāpi ahaṁ śvaḥ svaiḥ śataśo bāṇaiḥ abhimanyor asya ghorasya śatroḥ śiraḥ avaśyaṁ chindāmi || evam uktvā vicikṣepa gāṇḍīvaṁ savyadakṣiṇam | tasya śabdo 'tikramya dhanuḥśabdaḥ spṛśad divam ||
Arjuna said: “Even if Jayadratha were to plunge into the netherworld, go beyond it, or hide himself in the sky, in the realm of the gods, or in the city of the Daityas, still tomorrow I will surely sever the head of that dreadful enemy of Abhimanyu with my hundreds of arrows.” Having spoken thus, Arjuna made the Gāṇḍīva resound, wielding it with both left and right; the thunder of his bow drowned out other sounds and rang through the whole sky—an oath of retribution and a public pledge to restore justice after a grievous wrong.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of public accountability and resolve: after a grave breach of battlefield fairness leading to Abhimanyu’s death, Arjuna binds himself by a vow to punish the principal offender. The bow’s thunder functions as a moral proclamation—justice must be pursued even when the wrongdoer seeks refuge in any realm.
In the aftermath of Abhimanyu’s killing, Arjuna declares that Jayadratha cannot escape—whether by hiding in the underworld, heaven, or demonic strongholds—and vows to behead him the next day. He then twangs the Gāṇḍīva with both hands, and its sound reverberates across the sky, signaling his determination to all armies.