Shloka 41
ततस्तद् युद्धमभवत् कुरूणां सुमहद् बलै: । नद्वात्रासीदनिर्भिन्नो रथ: सादी हयो गज:,तत्पश्चात् कौरवोंकी सेनाके साथ महान् युद्ध होने लगा। उसमें कोई भी ऐसा रथ, सवार, घोड़ा अथवा हाथी नहीं था, जो अर्जुनके बाणोंसे विदीर्ण न हो गया हो
tatas tad yuddham abhavat kurūṇāṃ sumahad balaiḥ | na dvātrāsīd anirbhinnō rathaḥ sādī hayo gajaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then a very great battle arose with the forces of the Kurus. In that clash there remained no chariot, no rider, no horse, and no elephant that was not pierced through—shattered by Arjuna’s arrows. The scene underscores the overwhelming momentum of Arjuna’s martial prowess and the grim ethical weight of war, where entire formations are undone by a single warrior’s focused skill.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the terrifying efficiency of martial skill in war and implicitly points to the ethical gravity of kṣatriya-duty: prowess can decide outcomes swiftly, yet it also multiplies suffering, reminding the listener that victory in dharmic war still carries moral and human cost.
Sañjaya reports that a massive engagement erupts with the Kuru forces, and Arjuna’s arrows are so devastating that virtually every chariot, rider, horse, and elephant in the opposing host is described as being pierced and broken.