Shloka 34
Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas
Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode
तब अर्जुनने भारी उल्काकी भाँति अपनी ओर आती हुई उस सुवर्णभूषित शक्तिको दस बाण मारकर आकाशमें ही काट डाला। बुद्धिमान् पार्थके द्वारा दस टुकड़ोंमें कटी हुई वह शक्ति पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ी ।।
tataḥ arjunena bhārī ulkā-iva svāṃ diśam āpatantīṃ suvarṇa-bhūṣitāṃ śaktiṃ daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ākaśe eva chittvā daśadhā kṛtā sā śaktiḥ pṛthivyāṃ papāta | yugapac caiva bhallaiḥ tataḥ sajya-dhanuḥ kṛpaḥ tam āśu niśitaiḥ pārtha bibhēda daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ |
Then Arjuna, seeing the gold-adorned spear rushing toward him like a heavy meteor, struck it with ten arrows and cut it apart in midair. Shattered into ten pieces by the wise son of Pṛthā, the weapon fell to the ground. Immediately thereafter, Kṛpa, his bow fully strung, simultaneously released ten bhalla-arrows and swiftly pierced Pārtha with those ten keen shafts.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores disciplined action under threat: a warrior meets danger with trained precision and composure, using proportionate, skillful response rather than fear or uncontrolled aggression—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma and self-mastery.
A gold-adorned spear (śakti) is hurled toward Arjuna; he strikes it with ten arrows and splits it in the sky so it falls in pieces. Then Kṛpa, bow strung, releases ten bhalla-arrows at once and quickly pierces Arjuna with them.