Shloka 47
विनिः:श्वस्य यथा सर्प: प्रणिधाय रथे धनु: । ततो$भिपत्य पाज्चाल्यं संरम्भेणेदमब्रवीत्
viniḥśvasya yathā sarpaḥ praṇidhāya rathe dhanuḥ | tato 'bhipatya pāñcālyaṃ saṃrambheṇedam abravīt ||
Sañjaya said: Breathing hard like a serpent, he set his bow upon the chariot. Then, rushing at the Pāñcāla warrior, he spoke these words in a surge of wrath—signaling how anger and pride can drive speech and action amid the moral chaos of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intense anger (saṃrambha) and the heat of battle shape both posture and speech: a warrior’s agitation is likened to a serpent’s breath, suggesting that in war, inner turbulence can quickly turn into harsh words and impulsive action—an ethical warning about krodha overwhelming discernment.
Sañjaya describes a combatant who, panting like a serpent, sets his bow on the chariot and then charges toward a Pāñcāla fighter. In that agitated state, he begins to address him—introducing a confrontational speech that follows.