Shloka 51
अपसव्यं चकाराथ माद्रीपुत्रस्तवात्मजम् । किरन् शरशतै्ष्टस्तत्र नादो महानभूत्
apasavyaṃ cakārātha mādrīputras tavātmajam | kiran śaraśataiṣṭas tatra nādo mahān abhūt ||
Sañjaya said: Then the son of Mādrī (Nakula) wheeled to the left around your son, and, showering him with hundreds of arrows, raised a great tumult there. The verse highlights the relentless momentum of battle—skill and aggression expressed through martial discipline—while reminding the listener that in war, prowess often manifests as overwhelming force rather than measured restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse does not preach directly; it underscores how, in the dharmic tragedy of war, excellence in skill can become an instrument of overwhelming harm. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of martial prowess when deployed in fratricidal conflict.
Sañjaya reports that Nakula (Mādrī’s son) circles Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son to the left (apasavya) and unleashes a dense volley of arrows, producing a loud roar and commotion on the battlefield.