Shloka 5
Kuru-Sainika-Āśvāsana and Vijayaghoṣaṇa
Reassuring the Kuru Soldiers; Proclaiming Victory
त्वरमाण: शरानस्यन् पाण्डव: प्रबभौ रणे । मध्यंदिनगतोडर्चिष्माज्छरदीव दिवाकर:
tvaramāṇaḥ śarān asyan pāṇḍavaḥ prababhau raṇe | madhyaṃdina-gato 'rciṣmān śaradīva divākaraḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Hastening, the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) shone forth in the battle as he loosed a torrent of arrows. Like the radiant sun at midday in the clear autumn sky, spreading its fierce beams, he blazed in the midst of combat—his brilliance signaling disciplined martial resolve rather than mere rage.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma expressed as controlled, purposeful prowess: Arjuna’s speed and precision in battle are portrayed as luminous and orderly, like the sun’s rays—power guided by duty rather than uncontrolled aggression.
In the midst of combat, Arjuna (the Pāṇḍava) rapidly releases volleys of arrows and becomes the most conspicuous warrior on the field. The narrator compares his brilliance and dominance to the midday autumn sun shining in a clear sky.