Shloka 10
अर्जुनस्य जयद्रथाभिमुखप्रयाणं तथा कर्णेन प्रतिरोधः
Arjuna’s renewed advance toward Jayadratha and Karṇa’s resistance
तान् वीक्ष्य बाणान् निहतांस्तदानीं सुदर्शन: सात्यकिबाणवेगै: । क्रोधाद् दिधक्षन्निव तिग्मतेजा: शरानमुज्चत् तपनीयचित्रान्,उस समय सात्यकिके वेगशाली बाणोंद्वारा अपने चलाये हुए बाणोंको नष्ट हुआ देख प्रचण्ड तेजस्वी राजा सुदर्शनने क्रोधसे उन्हें जला डालनेकी इच्छा रखते हुए-से सुवर्णजटित विचित्र बाणोंका उनपर प्रहार आरम्भ किया
tān vīkṣya bāṇān nihatāṁs tadānīṁ sudarśanaḥ sātyakibāṇavegaiḥ | krodhād didhakṣann iva tigmtejāḥ śarān amuñcat tapanīyacitrān ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing at that very moment his own arrows shattered by the swift, forceful shafts of Sātyaki, King Sudarśana—fierce in brilliance—released a volley of wondrous, gold-adorned arrows, as though in wrath he meant to burn his opponent down. The scene shows how, in the press of battle, wounded pride and anger can drive a warrior from measured resolve into destructive escalation.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can rapidly intensify violence: when one’s efforts are thwarted, the mind may shift from disciplined action to retaliatory excess. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, this is a caution about maintaining self-control even while fulfilling kṣatriya-duty in war.
Sātyaki’s fast arrows neutralize Sudarśana’s previously shot arrows. Seeing this, Sudarśana, enraged and blazing with martial energy, begins striking back by releasing ornate, gold-decked arrows in a renewed assault.