Shloka 206

Devanagari script

अश्रूयत धनुर्घोषो विस्फूर्जितमिवाशने: । रथपर स्थिरतापूर्वक खड़े हो जब वह अपने धनुषको खींच रहा था, उस समय उसकी टंकार वजकी गड़गड़ाहटके समान सुनायी देती थी

Transliteration

aśrūyata dhanurghoṣo visphūrjitam ivāśaneḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: The twang of the bow was heard—like the crackling roar of a thunderbolt—when the warrior, standing firm upon his chariot, drew the bowstring. The sound signals unwavering resolve and the fearful momentum of battle, where steadfastness becomes both a martial virtue and a portent of impending destruction.

Word by Word

अश्रूयतwas heard

धनुःbow

घोषःsound; twang

विस्फूर्जितम्roar; thunderclap (lit. roaring)

इवlike; as if

अशनेःof the thunderbolt; of lightning

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

bow (dhanuḥ)

chariot (ratha) (implied by context)

thunderbolt/lightning (aśani)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadiness (dhairya) and martial discipline: in a dharmic war narrative, a warrior’s firm posture and controlled action become outward signs of inner resolve, while the thunder-like sound underscores the grave consequences that such resolve unleashes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior on a chariot drawing his bow; the bow’s twang resounds like a thunderbolt, marking a moment of readiness and escalation in the battle.