Shloka 54
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
ते शरा हेमविकृता गाण्डीवप्रेषिता भृशम् | द्रौणिमासाद्य विविशुर्वल्मीकमिव पन्नगा:,गाण्डीव धनुषसे वेगपूर्वक छूटे हुए वे सुवर्ण-निर्मित बाण अश्वत्थामाके पास पहुँचकर उसके शरीरमें उसी प्रकार घुस गये, जैसे सर्प बाँबीमें प्रवेश करते हैं
te śarā hemavikṛtā gāṇḍīvapreṣitā bhṛśam | drauṇim āsādya viviśur valmīkam iva pannagāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Those arrows, fashioned of gold and shot with great force from the Gāṇḍīva, reached Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā) and entered his body—just as serpents slip into an anthill. The image underscores the relentless, inescapable penetration of martial skill in the heat of war, where prowess and intent translate into immediate bodily consequence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily functions as vivid narration rather than explicit moral instruction, yet it implicitly highlights the grave immediacy of warfare: skill and intention manifest as unavoidable harm. The simile (serpents entering an anthill) conveys inevitability and precision—once set in motion, violent action reaches its target with little room for reversal.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna’s gold-adorned arrows, released from the Gāṇḍīva with great force, striking and penetrating Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi). The comparison to serpents entering an anthill emphasizes how swiftly and surely the arrows find entry into the opponent’s body.