Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 4
भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा
Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength
एतस्य हि महाराज यथा गाण्डीवधन्वन: । शरासनविनिर्मुक्ता: संसक्ता यान्ति सायका:,महाराज! गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनकी भाँति इसके धनुषसे एक साथ छूटे हुए बहुत-से बाण भी परस्पर सटे हुए ही लक्ष्यतक पहुँचते हैं
etasya hi mahārāja yathā gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ | śarāsana-vinirmuktāḥ saṃsaktā yānti sāyakāḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “O great king, just as with Arjuna, the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow, the arrows released from his bow—though many—fly onward in close formation, as if clinging together, until they reach the target.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights exemplary mastery and focused effectiveness: when a warrior’s skill and intent are perfectly aligned, even many actions (arrows) move as one toward a single aim (the target). In counsel to a king, it underscores the power of disciplined capability and unified direction.
Bhīṣma is describing Arjuna’s extraordinary archery. He compares the discussed person’s effectiveness to Arjuna’s Gāṇḍīva: numerous arrows released together travel tightly grouped and still reach the mark, emphasizing formidable prowess in the context of impending conflict.