Shloka 25
Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas
Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode
स तु लब्ध्वा पुन: स्थानं गौतम: सव्यसाचिनम् | विव्याध दशभिन्बाणैस्त्वरित: कड्कपत्रिभि:,किंतु कृपाचार्यने पुन: अपना स्थान ग्रहण कर लेनेपर तुरंत ही सफेद चीलके पंखोंसे युत्त दस बाणोंका प्रहार करके सव्यसाची अर्जुनको बींध डाला
sa tu labdhvā punaḥ sthānaṃ gautamaḥ savyasācinam | vivyādha daśabhir bāṇais tvaritaḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ ||
എന്നാൽ ഗൗതമൻ (കൃപാചാര്യൻ) വീണ്ടും തന്റെ സ്ഥാനം കൈവരിച്ച ഉടൻ, കങ്കപ്പക്ഷങ്ങളോടുകൂടിയ പത്ത് അമ്പുകളാൽ സവ്യസാചി അർജുനനെ വേഗത്തിൽ കുത്തിവീഴ്ത്തി।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya discipline and the impersonal rigor of battlefield duty: even venerable elders like Kṛpa act decisively once they regain advantage. It also points to the ethical strain of war, where respect and prior bonds do not prevent necessary action when one is committed to a side’s dharma.
After regaining his battle position, Kṛpācārya (called Gautama) quickly shoots Arjuna (Savyasācin) with ten heron-feathered arrows, wounding him in the ongoing combat episode of the Virāṭa narrative.