Shloka 36
सुरोत्तमैरप्यविषद्मर्दितुं प्रसहा नागेन जहार तद् वृष: । स दुष्टभावो वितथप्रतिज्ञ: पं किक, 0 तमर्जुनस्य
surottamair apy aviṣad mardituṃ prasahā nāgena jahāra tad vṛṣaḥ | sa duṣṭabhāvo vitathapratijñaḥ paṃ kika, 0 tam arjunasya
Sanjaya berkata: Bahkan para dewa terunggul pun takkan sanggup menahannya; namun sang Nāga merenggutnya dengan paksa. Dengan niat jahat dan sumpah yang terbukti palsu, ular itu membawa pergi mahkota dari kepala Pārtha—pertanda muram bagi jalannya pertempuran Arjuna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores an ethical warning: when one acts with duṣṭa-bhāva (malicious intent) and becomes vitatha-pratijña (false to one’s vows), strength and status cannot secure victory; moral failure invites reversal and loss of control.
Sañjaya describes a dramatic moment in the battle where a mighty figure—likened to a bull among men—is forcibly seized and carried off by a Nāga (serpent), and this event is framed as a troubling development connected with Arjuna’s ongoing combat.