Shloka 129
अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च
Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter
महाराज! मैंने रणभूमिमें अश्वत्थामाके धनुषकी शत्रुओंको भयभीत कर देनेवाली टंकार बारंबार सुनी, मानो किसी सिंहके दहाड़नेकी आवाज हो रही हो ।। ज्या चास्य चरतो युद्धे सव्यदक्षिणमस्यत: । विद्युदम्बुदमध्यस्था भ्राजमानेव साभवत्,जैसे मेघोंकी घटाके बीचमें बिजली चमकती है, उसी प्रकार युद्धमें दायें-बायें बाण- वर्षापूर्वक विचरते हुए अशत्थामाके धनुषकी प्रत्यंचा भी प्रकाशित हो रही थी
sañjaya uvāca |
mahārāja! mayā raṇabhūmau aśvatthāmanaḥ dhanuṣaḥ śatrūn bhayabhītān karoti iti tāṅkāraḥ bāraṃbāraṃ śrutaḥ, siṃhasya nādasya iva |
jyā cāsya carato yuddhe savya-dakṣiṇam asyataḥ |
vidyud ambuda-madhyasthā bhrājamānā iva sābhavat ||
Sanjaya said: O King, on the battlefield I heard again and again the terrifying twang of Ashvatthama’s bow, a sound that struck fear into the enemy—like the roar of a lion. And as he moved through the fight, showering arrows to left and right, the bowstring of his bow shone forth, like lightning flashing amid a mass of clouds. The scene presents martial prowess as a force that can overwhelm minds with fear, reminding the listener that in war, psychological dominance and sheer skill often decide the moment, even while the larger moral burden of violence remains implicit.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how mastery in battle is not only physical but also psychological: the terrifying sound of a warrior’s bow and the visible brilliance of his weaponry can break enemy morale. Ethically, it implicitly points to the grim reality that war rewards fear-inducing power even as it deepens the human cost of violence.
Sanjaya reports to the king what he witnesses: Ashvatthama is actively ranging across the battlefield, shooting arrows to both left and right. His bow’s twang repeatedly frightens the opposing side, and his bowstring flashes like lightning among clouds, emphasizing speed, intensity, and dominance in combat.