Shloka 313
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
संशप्तकगणांश्वैव वेगितो5भिविदुद्रुवे । शत्रुसेनाका संहार करनेवाले अर्जुनने महाधनुर्धर कृतवर्मा तथा संशप्तकगणोंपर बड़े वेगसे आक्रमण किया
saṃśaptakagaṇāṃś caiva vegito 'bhividudruve | śatrusenākāsaṃhārakaraṇe 'rjuno mahādhanurdharaṃ kṛtavarmāṇaṃ tathā saṃśaptakagaṇān upari mahāvegād abhyakrāmat |
Sañjaya said: Spurred on with fierce speed, Arjuna—renowned as a destroyer of hostile armies—rushed straight at the Saṃśaptaka bands and at the great bowman Kṛtavarman, assailing them with overwhelming momentum. The scene underscores the grim ethic of battlefield duty: decisive action taken to break an enemy’s force and protect one’s own side amid the relentless demands of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: when facing vowed and formidable opponents, a warrior must act decisively to protect allies and restrain enemy aggression, even though the action entails grave violence and moral weight.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, moving with great speed, charges and attacks Kṛtavarman and the Saṃśaptaka bands—an intense engagement aimed at breaking a dangerous enemy contingent on the battlefield.