Shloka 1
Adhyāya 18 — Sequential Duels and Formation Pressure
Ulūka–Yuyutsu; Śakuni–Sutasoma; Kṛpa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Kṛtavarmā–Śikhaṇḍin
है ० बक। हक २ एकोनविशो< ध्याय: अर्जुनके द्वारा संशप्तक-सेनाका संहार
sañjaya uvāca | pratyāgatya punar jiṣṇur jaghne saṁśaptakān bahūn | vakrātivakragamanād aṅgāraka iva grahaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O King, returning once again, Arjuna—ever victorious—began to strike down many of the Saṁśaptakas. Like the planet Mars, whose retrograde and irregular course is held to bring harm upon the world, Arjuna, by swift and unpredictable movements, became a fearful agent of destruction for that vowed host.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, a warrior’s prowess can become an impersonal force—likened to a baleful celestial influence—suggesting that once dharma-driven conflict escalates, its destructive momentum can feel inevitable and ominous. It also reflects the epic’s habit of reading ethical and historical events through cosmic imagery, reminding the listener of the grave consequences of battle.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna has returned to the fight and is again slaughtering many Saṁśaptaka warriors—those who had taken a vow to confront him. Arjuna’s movements and impact are compared to Mars moving in a retrograde/irregular manner, traditionally viewed as bringing misfortune, emphasizing the terror he inspires in that contingent.