Shloka 4
Chapter 30: Formation Disruption, Competing War-Cries, and Nīla’s Fall
Droṇa-parva
वृषकस्य हयान् सूतं धनुश्छत्र॑ रथं ध्वजम् । तिलशो व्यधमत् पार्थ: सौबलस्य शितै: शरै:,तब कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनने अपने तीखे बाणोंद्वारा सुबलपुत्र वृषकके घोड़ों, सारथि, रथ, धनुष, छत्र और ध्वजाको तिल-तिल करके काट डाला
sañjaya uvāca |
vṛṣakasya hayān sūtaṃ dhanuś chatraṃ rathaṃ dhvajaṃ |
tilāśo vyadhamat pārthaḥ saubalasya śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then Pārtha (Arjuna), with razor-sharp arrows, cut to pieces—bit by bit—the horses, charioteer, chariot, bow, parasol, and banner of Vṛṣaka, the son of Saubala. In the ethical frame of the war, the verse highlights Arjuna’s decisive martial skill aimed at disabling the enemy’s fighting capacity and insignia, a grim but sanctioned act within the battlefield code of the Kurukṣetra conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in a righteous war: victory often comes by disabling the opponent’s mobility, weapons, and symbols of command. It also reflects the ethical tension of sanctioned violence—skill and decisiveness are praised, yet the destruction is portrayed as severe and consequential.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna attacks Vṛṣaka (of Saubala’s side) and systematically destroys the key components of his chariot unit—horses, charioteer, chariot, bow, parasol, and banner—rendering him effectively neutralized on the battlefield.