Shloka 353
शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni
with Ulūka’s fall
शूराणामश्चवपृष्ठेभ्य: शिरांसि निचकर्त ह । कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनने भी युद्धमें पराक्रम करके घोड़ोंकी पीठोंसे शूरवीरोंके मस्तक काट गिराये
śūrāṇām aśvāpṛṣṭhebhyaḥ śirāṃsi nicakarta ha | kuntīputro 'rjuno bhī yuddhe parākramaṃ kṛtvā ghoḍānāṃ pīṭhābhyaḥ śūravīrāṇāṃ mastakāni kāṭaṃ gīrāyām āsa ||
Sañjaya said: Arjuna, the son of Kuntī, displayed fierce prowess in the battle, cutting down the heads of brave warriors from the backs of their horses. The scene underscores the terrible efficiency of martial skill in war—valor expressed through lethal action, where heroism and violence stand side by side under the demands of kṣatriya duty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its starkest form: valor is measured by decisive action in battle, yet the ethical tension remains—heroism in war often manifests as lethal skill, reminding the listener of war’s grim cost even when performed as duty.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna’s battlefield feat: while warriors ride on horseback, Arjuna strikes with such precision and force that he severs their heads, causing them to fall from the horses’ backs.