Shloka 4
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
पार्थ: संशप्तकबलं प्रविश्यार्णवसंनिभम् | व्यक्षो भयदमित्रघ्नो महावात इवार्णवम्
sañjaya uvāca |
pārthaḥ saṁśaptaka-balaṁ praviśyārṇava-saṁnibham |
vyakṣo bhayadam-itraghno mahāvāta ivārṇavam ||
Sañjaya dit : Arjuna, fils de Pṛthā, se jeta dans l’armée des Saṁśaptakas, vaste comme l’océan; et lui, le pourfendeur des ennemis qui inspire la crainte, la bouleversa et la mit en tumulte, comme un vent impétueux soulève la mer.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya valor aligned with purpose: Arjuna’s fearlessness and decisive action are depicted as ethically charged strength used to break hostile forces that obstruct the righteous side, not as aimless aggression.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna entering the vast Saṁśaptaka formation and throwing it into chaos, using an ocean-and-gale simile to convey the scale of the army and the force of Arjuna’s assault.