Shloka 15
Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas
Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode
तौ रथौ सूर्यसंकाशौ योत्स्यमानौ महाबलौ | शारदाविव जीमूतौ व्यरोचेतां व्यवस्थितौ
tau rathau sūryasaṅkāśau yotsyamānau mahābalau | śāradāv iva jīmūtau vyarocetāṃ vyavasthitau ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Kedua kereta itu berkilau laksana matahari, ditunggangi dua mahāratha yang sangat perkasa, berdiri siap bertempur. Saat mengambil posisi, kedua pahlawan itu tampak bagaikan sepasang awan musim gugur—megah dan sarat pertanda benturan dahsyat.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the solemn grandeur of warriors standing ready for battle: outward splendor and power do not remove the ethical weight of conflict. The imagery suggests contained force—like autumn clouds—implying that war, even when conducted with valor, carries a charged moral atmosphere where dharma will be tested.
Two mighty chariot-warriors take their positions, prepared to fight. The narrator (Vaiśampāyana) describes their brilliance and readiness through a vivid comparison: they look like two autumn clouds, impressive and ominously full, as the battle is about to begin.