Shloka 383
Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)
ज्वलनाशीविषनिभै: शरैश्नैनमवाकिरत् । सब प्रकारके भारोंको सहन करनेमें समर्थ, सुदृढ़ एवं उत्तम धनुषको खींचकर सुरथने अग्नि और विषैले सर्पोके समान भयंकर बाणोंकी वर्षा करके अश्वत्थामाको ढक दिया
sañjaya uvāca | jvalanāśīviṣanibhaiḥ śaraiś cainam avākirat |
サンジャヤは言った。燃えさかる火、あるいは猛毒の蛇にも似た矢をもって、彼は四方から相手を浴びせ包んだ。あらゆる負荷に耐える堅固にして最上の弓を引き絞り、スラタは火と毒蛇のごとき恐るべき矢雨を降らせ、アシュヴァッターマを飛び道具の嵐の中に呑み込ませた。この場面は、戦の勢いが容赦なく加速し、技と忍耐が破壊へと転じ、倫理的な自制が戦の要請にかき消されてゆくさまを示している。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial excellence—strength, endurance, and skill with the bow—can become an instrument of overwhelming harm when war dominates. It implicitly invites reflection on dharma under pressure: even rightful prowess, when driven by battlefield necessity, tends to eclipse restraint and compassion.
Sañjaya describes Suratha drawing his powerful bow and unleashing a dense shower of terrifying arrows, compared to fire and venomous serpents, so that Aśvatthāmā is effectively covered and hemmed in by the missile-storm.