Shloka 45
एते5भवन्नर्जुनतः क्षुद्रसर्पाश्न॒ कर्णत: । महाराज! मुनि, चारण, सिद्ध, गरुड़, पक्षी, रत्न, निधियाँ, उपवेद, उपनिषद्, रहस्य, संग्रह और इतिहास-पुराणसहित सम्पूर्ण वेद, वासुकि, चित्रसेन, तक्षक, मणिक, सम्पूर्ण सर्पगण, अपने वंशजोंसहित कद्रूकी संतानें, विषैले नाग, ऐरावत, सौरभेय और वैशालेय सर्प--ये सब अर्जुनके पक्षमें हो गये। छोटे-छोटे सर्प कर्णका साथ देने लगे || ४१--४४ ई || ईहामृगा व्यालमृगा माड्ल्याश्न मृगद्धिजा:
sañjaya uvāca |
ete ’bhavann arjunataḥ kṣudra-sarpāś ca karṇataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: On that occasion, the lesser serpents came over to Arjuna’s side, while others aligned themselves with Karṇa. Thus, even among the nāgas, factions formed—some supporting Arjuna and some supporting Karṇa—mirroring how, in war, alliances shift according to perceived strength, destiny, and prior bonds rather than any single, stable notion of loyalty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the instability of worldly alliances in times of conflict: even natural or supernatural groups split into factions. Ethically, it suggests that power, fear, past enmities, and destiny can drive support, so one should not rely on shifting external backing but on right conduct and clarity of purpose.
Sañjaya reports a sign-like development during the battle context: serpents (nāgas) divide their allegiance—some becoming favorable to Arjuna, while others support Karṇa—indicating a broader atmosphere of omens and factional alignment around the two principal warriors.