Shloka 383
नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च
Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault
अगृह्नन् बहवो राजन् शलभान् वायसा इव | राजन! जैसे कौए दौड़-दौड़कर टिड्डियोंको पकड़ते हैं, उसी प्रकार रथपर बैठकर बड़े वेगसे धावा करनेवाले बहुसंख्यक रथी शत्रुपक्षके सैनिकोंको दबोच लेते थे
agṛhṇan bahavo rājan śalabhān vāyasā iva |
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, banyak kesatria menyergap prajurit musuh bagaikan gagak menyambar belalang. Dari atas kereta perang, mereka menerjang dengan kecepatan besar dan menundukkan pasukan lawan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ruthless efficiency of war: speed and coordinated force can overwhelm the vulnerable, illustrated through a natural simile. Ethically, it highlights how battle reduces human beings to prey-like targets, inviting reflection on the dehumanizing momentum of violence.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that numerous chariot-fighters, charging swiftly, were capturing and overpowering soldiers of the opposing side, likening the scene to crows darting about and snatching locusts.