Shloka 213
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
अभ्ययु: सहिता: पार्थ प्रगृहीतशरासना: । उसकी सेनामें हाथी
abhyayuḥ sahitāḥ pārtha pragṛhītaśarāsanāḥ |
Vaiśampāyana dijo: Unidos, con arcos y flechas ya empuñados, los guerreros arremetieron contra Arjuna. Su ejército—colmado de elefantes, caballos y carros—estaba engalanado con guirnaldas de estandartes y banderas. Al oír la noticia de la muerte del rey Śakuni, los combatientes de la tierra de Gandhāra ardieron de indignación; por ello, tomando sus armas, avanzaron en una sola masa para asaltar a Arjuna.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how news of a leader’s death can inflame collective anger and drive retaliatory violence. Ethically, it illustrates the peril of acting from amarsa (indignant wrath): it unites people quickly, but often toward destructive ends, showing the tension between kṣatriya duty in battle and the moral cost of vengeance.
Gandhāra warriors, enraged after hearing that King Śakuni has been slain, assemble and launch a coordinated attack on Arjuna. Their army is described as a full combined force with elephants, horses, and chariots, decorated with banners and flags, advancing with weapons ready.