Shloka 67
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 94: Sātyaki–Sudarśana Yuddha (सात्यकि–सुदर्शन युद्ध)
सा ज्वलन्ती महोल्केव तमासाद्य महारथम् | सविस्फुलिज्ञा निर्भिद्य निपषात महीतले,वह बड़ी भारी उल्काके समान प्रज्वलित होती और चिनगारियाँ बिखेरती हुई महारथी अर्जुनके पास जा उनके शरीरको विदीर्ण करके पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ी
sā jvalantī maholkeva tamāsādya mahāratham | savisphuliṅgā nirbhidya nipapāta mahītale ||
Sañjaya said: Blazing like a great meteor, it reached the mighty chariot-warrior Arjuna; scattering sparks, it pierced him and then fell upon the earth. The image underscores the war’s ruthless momentum—deadly force unleashed with irresistible speed, where even the foremost heroes are struck, and the battlefield’s violence eclipses all other values.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the terrifying impersonality of war: destructive power moves swiftly and indiscriminately, reminding the listener that even the greatest warriors are vulnerable. Ethically, it frames the battlefield as a space where dharma is strained—valor and duty persist, yet the cost is bodily ruin and pervasive suffering.
Sañjaya describes a blazing, spark-scattering missile that reaches Arjuna, pierces him, and then drops to the ground. The simile of a great meteor emphasizes speed, heat, and inevitability, intensifying the scene’s dramatic violence.