Shloka 39
Ghaṭotkaca Slays Alāyudha (Night Battle and Māyā Countermeasures) / घटोत्कचेन अलायुधवधः
एष त्वहमनीकानि प्रविशाम्यरिसूदन । रणाय महते राजंस्त्वया वाकुशरपीडित:,राजन! शत्रुसूदन! अब मैं तुम्हारे वाग्बाणोंसे पीड़ित हो महान् युद्धके लिये शत्रुओंकी सेनामें प्रवेश करता हूँ
eṣa tv aham anīkāni praviśāmy arisūdana | raṇāya mahate rājan tvayā vākuśarapiḍitaḥ ||
サञ्जयは言った。「王よ、敵を屠る者よ。汝の鋭い言葉の矢に刺し貫かれ、苦しめられて、いま我は大いなる戦いのため、敵の陣列へと踏み入る。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical force of speech: words can function like weapons (vāk-śara), wounding, compelling, and driving decisions. In a war setting, counsel, rebuke, or provocation can push a person toward hazardous action, reminding readers that responsibility attaches not only to deeds but also to the speech that motivates them.
Sañjaya reports a warrior’s resolve to enter the enemy’s battle formations for a great fight, stating that he is ‘pained by your verbal arrows.’ The scene conveys immediate martial movement—plunging into hostile arrays—while also showing that the king’s words have intensified the resolve and urgency of the moment.