Shloka 76
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
आदिश्यादिश्य तेजस्वी शिरांस्येषां न्यपातयत् | गान्धारोंके द्वारा रोके जानेपर भी तेजस्वी वीर पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुन उनके नाम ले-लेकर मस्तक काटने और गिराने लगे
ādiśyādiśya tejasvī śirāṃsy eṣāṃ nyapātayat | gāndhārāṅkena dvārā roke jānepar bhī tejasvī vīra pāṇḍunandana arjuna unke nāma le-lekara mastaka kāṭane aura girāne lage |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Sang wira yang bersinar itu terus menunjuk mereka seorang demi seorang lalu menjatuhkan kepala-kepala mereka. Walaupun dihalang oleh putera Gāndhāra, Arjuna, putera Pāṇḍu yang perkasa, tetap menyebut nama mereka satu per satu dan memenggal kepala mereka, membiarkannya gugur—gambaran keteguhan tempur yang tidak mengenal surut, namun juga menimbulkan ketegangan etika antara hukuman yang benar dan amarah yang tidak terkawal selepas perang.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the moral strain that can arise when martial duty turns into relentless vengeance: even a righteous warrior must be checked by restraint, otherwise justified punishment risks becoming uncontrolled violence.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna, blazing with power, identifies opponents one by one and cuts off their heads; although a Gandhāran figure tries to restrain him, Arjuna continues, calling them by name as he strikes.