Shloka 5
अभिमन्यु-पराक्रमवर्णनम्
Abhimanyu’s Prowess and the Duḥśāsana Engagement
तस्यार्जुनि: शिरोग्रीवं पाणिपादं धनुर्हयान् । छत्र॑ ध्वजं नियन्तारं त्रिवेणुं तल्पमेव च,वायुनेव महाशैल: सम्भग्नोडमिततेजसा । तब शीघ्रतापूर्वक हाथ चलानेवाले अर्जुनकुमारने अपने सायकोंद्वारा शल्यके भाईके मस्तक, ग्रीवा, हाथ, पैर, धनुष, अश्व, छत्र, ध्वज, सारथि, त्रिवेणु, तल्प (शय्या), पहिये, जूआ, तरकश, अनुकर्ष, पताका, चक्ररक्षक तथा अन्य समस्त उपकरणोंको काट डाला। उस समय कोई भी उसे देख न सका। जैसे वायुके वेगसे कोई महान् पर्वत टूटकर गिर पड़े, उसी प्रकार अमिततेजस्वी अभिमन्युका मारा हुआ वह शल्यराजका भाई छिन्न-भिन्न होकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा। उसके वस्त्र और आभूषणोंके टुकड़े-टुकड़े हो गये थे
sañjaya uvāca | tasyārjuniḥ śirogrīvaṁ pāṇipādaṁ dhanurhayān | chatraṁ dhvajaṁ niyantāraṁ triveṇuṁ talpam eva ca | vāyunā iva mahāśailaḥ sambhagno ’mitatejasā ||
Sañjaya said: With swift, unerring strokes, Arjuna’s son cut down every part and support of his opponent—head and neck, hands and feet, bow and horses, parasol and banner, the charioteer, the triple-plumed crest, and even the chariot’s couch. Struck by that immeasurable brilliance, the warrior was shattered and fell to the earth like a great mountain broken by the force of the wind. The scene underscores the terrible efficiency of martial skill in war: when dharma is pursued through battle, victory can arrive as overwhelming destruction, leaving no space for spectacle—only the stark consequence of violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim ethical tension of kṣatriya-dharma: excellence in battle can be dazzling yet devastating, and the ‘glory’ of victory is inseparable from the reality of bodily and material ruin.
Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu’s rapid assault: he severs the opponent’s limbs and chariot components (including insignia like parasol and banner), and the enemy collapses shattered—likened to a mountain broken by wind.