Shloka 52
Adhyāya 86: Irāvān’s Lineage, Cavalry Clash, and the Māyā-Duel Ending in Irāvān’s Fall
स शर: प्रेषितस्तेन गरुडानिलवेगवान् । मद्रराजं विनिर्भिद्य निपषात महीतले,उनके द्वारा चलाया हुआ वह बाण गरुड और वायुके समान वेगशाली था। वह मद्रराजको विदीर्ण करके पृथ्वीपर जा गिरा
sa śaraḥ preṣitas tena garuḍānilavegavān | madrarājaṁ vinirbhidya nipapāta mahītale ||
Sañjaya said: The arrow he released sped forth with the swiftness of Garuḍa and the wind. Piercing through the king of Madra, it then fell upon the earth—an image of the battlefield’s ruthless momentum, where martial skill and fate converge and a ruler’s life is cut down in an instant.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the stark ethics of the battlefield: in kṣatriya-dharma, decisive action and martial excellence can end a life instantly, reminding the listener of impermanence and the grave responsibility borne by warriors and rulers.
Sañjaya describes an arrow shot by a warrior; it flies with tremendous speed (likened to Garuḍa and the wind), pierces the king of Madra (Śalya), and then falls to the ground after passing through him.