Shloka 9
विदार्य नागाश्वरथान् धनंजय: शरोत्तमैर्वांसववज्ञसंनिभै: । द्रुतं ययौ कर्णजिघांसया तथा यथा मरुत्वान् बलभेदने पुरा
sañjaya uvāca | vidārya nāgāśvarathān dhanañjayaḥ śarottamair vāṃsavavajñasaṃnibhaiḥ | drutaṃ yayau karṇajighāṃsayā tathā yathā marutvān balabhedane purā ||
Sañjaya said: Having torn through the enemy’s elephants, horses, and chariots with superb arrows like Indra’s thunderbolt, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) surged forward in haste, intent on slaying Karṇa—just as, in ancient times, the wielder of the Maruts sped forth to destroy the demon Bala. The verse frames Arjuna’s advance as a focused, duty-driven martial resolve, likened to a divine act of removing a destructive force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights concentrated resolve in the performance of one’s appointed duty: Arjuna’s single-minded advance is portrayed as purposeful removal of a destructive power, using a divine simile (Indra destroying Bala) to underscore decisive action aligned with the warrior’s role in a righteous war.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna pressing forward rapidly on the battlefield, cutting through opposing elephants, horses, and chariots with exceptionally powerful arrows, driven by the intention to reach and slay Karṇa.