Shloka 37
भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः
Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead
दुःशासनं ततः क्रुद्ध पीडयामास पाण्डव: । पर्वणीय सुसंक्रुद्धो राहु: पूर्ण निशाकरम्,तदनन्तर कुपित हुए पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुन दुःशासनको उसी प्रकार पीड़ा देने लगे, जैसे पूर्णिमाके दिन अत्यन्त क्रोधमें भरा हुआ राहु पूर्ण चन्द्रमाको पीड़ा देता है
duḥśāsanaṃ tataḥ kruddhaḥ pīḍayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ | parvaṇīyaḥ susaṃkruddho rāhuḥ pūrṇa-niśākaram ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian Pāṇḍava yang menyala oleh amarah mula menekan Duḥśāsana—seperti Rāhu yang mengamuk pada malam purnama, menimpakan sengsara pada bulan yang bulat penuh.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger in war can become eclipsing—like Rāhu covering the full Moon—suggesting that even justified retaliation risks overwhelming discernment and humane restraint, a key ethical tension in dharma-yuddha.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna (the Pāṇḍava) turning fiercely upon Duḥśāsana and pressing him hard in combat, using the vivid image of a lunar eclipse to convey the intensity of the assault.