Shloka 29
विव्याध निशितैर्बाणैरर्जुनं प्रहसन्निव । पुनश्चैव शतेनास्य संरुरोध महारथम्
vivyādha niśitair bāṇair arjunaṁ prahasann iva | punaś caiva śatenāsya saṁrurodha mahāratham ||
Sañjaya said: Smiling as though in derision, he pierced Arjuna with sharp arrows; and again, with a hundred more, he checked and hemmed in that great chariot-warrior. The scene underscores how, in the frenzy of battle, prowess is displayed not only through force but also through psychological pressure—mockery and relentless volleys meant to break an opponent’s resolve.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where skill and resolve are tested together: the attacker uses both physical force (sharp arrows, repeated volleys) and mental pressure (mocking laughter) to destabilize a great warrior. It reflects the kṣatriya arena where endurance, composure, and mastery under provocation are crucial.
Sañjaya reports that an unnamed warrior strikes Arjuna with sharp arrows while seeming to laugh, and then further restrains him by showering him with a hundred arrows, effectively checking Arjuna’s movement and momentum in the fight.