Shloka 54
तमायान्तं शरं घोरं शकुनि: शत्रुतापन:
tam āyāntaṃ śaraṃ ghoraṃ śakuniḥ śatrutāpanaḥ
Sañjaya said: Seeing that dreadful arrow speeding toward him, Śakuni—renowned as a tormentor of foes—faced the oncoming threat amid the ruthless momentum of battle, where cunning and courage alike are tested.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the immediacy of consequences in war: actions (like releasing an arrow) rapidly become unavoidable realities for the target. It also underscores how reputation—here, Śakuni as a 'tormentor of foes'—is measured against sudden danger, reminding readers that in conflict, both strategy and personal resolve are continually tested.
Sañjaya narrates a battlefield moment in which a terrifying arrow is seen rushing toward Śakuni. The line sets up the next action—how Śakuni responds to the incoming missile—within the larger combat sequence of the Karṇa Parva.