Shloka 35
Adhyāya 16: Saṃśaptaka-vrata and the Diversion of Arjuna (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६)
त्वरितं सिंहसेनस्तु द्रोणं विदूध्वा महारथम् | प्राहसत् सहसा हृष्टसत्रासयन् वै महारथान्,हर्षमें भरे हुए सिंहसेनने तुरंत ही महारथी द्रोणाचार्यको घायल करके अन्य महारथियोंके मनमें त्रास उत्पन्न करते हुए सहसा चोरसे अट्टहास किया
tvaritaṃ siṃhasenas tu droṇaṃ vidūdhvā mahāratham | prāhasat sahasā hṛṣṭas trāsayan vai mahārathān |
Sañjaya said: Then Siṃhasena, acting swiftly, struck and wounded Droṇācārya—the great chariot-warrior. Exultant, he suddenly burst into loud laughter, and by that display he spread fear among the other foremost warriors. The scene underscores how, in the frenzy of battle, triumph is often expressed not with restraint but with intimidation, intensifying the moral and psychological violence alongside the physical combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in warfare: victory can be pursued not only through force but also through fear and humiliation. It implicitly contrasts martial exhilaration and intimidation with the ideal of disciplined kṣatriya conduct, reminding readers that the moral cost of war includes psychological cruelty as well as bodily harm.
Sañjaya reports that the warrior Siṃhasena quickly attacks and wounds Droṇācārya. Overjoyed, he laughs loudly, and this triumphant display frightens other leading chariot-warriors on the battlefield.