Shloka 263
Śiva’s Battlefield Manifestation and Vyāsa’s Śatarudrīya Exposition (शिवप्रादुर्भावः शतरुद्रीयव्याख्यानम्)
अर्जुन योधयन्ति स्म क्षत्रिया: कालचोदिता: । वे कालप्रेरित क्षत्रिय अर्जुनपर बड़े-बड़े अस्त्रोंकी वर्षा करते हुए उनके साथ युद्ध करने लगे
arjunaṃ yodhayanti sma kṣatriyāḥ kālacoditāḥ |
Sañjaya dit : Poussés par la contrainte du Temps (Kāla), les guerriers kṣatriya fondirent sur Arjuna et l’engagèrent au combat, le criblant d’une pluie de traits redoutables — image d’une guerre où la volonté des hommes se voit pressée dans l’élan plus vaste, fatal, de la destruction.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kāla (Time) as a compelling force behind human conflict: even mighty warriors act as if driven by destiny. Ethically, it frames the battle as not merely personal hostility but part of a larger, inexorable unfolding—inviting reflection on agency, responsibility, and the tragic momentum of war.
Sañjaya reports that kṣatriya fighters, stirred by the force of Time, close in on Arjuna and engage him, attacking with powerful weapons and missiles as the battle intensifies around him.