Shloka 3
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
स संवार्य रणे राजा प्रेषितान् धर्मसूनुना । शरान् सप्त महेष्वास: कौन्तेयाय समार्पयत्
sa saṃvārya raṇe rājā preṣitān dharmasūnunā | śarān sapta maheṣvāsaḥ kaunteyāya samārpayat ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dalam kancah perang, Raja Śrutāyus—seorang pemanah unggul—menangkis anak panah yang dilepaskan oleh putera Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira). Setelah menepisnya, dia membalas dengan tujuh anak panah mengenai putera Kuntī. Adegan ini menegaskan timbal balik yang berdisiplin dalam pertempuran kṣatriya: menahan diri ketika bertahan, lalu membalas secara terukur, semuanya dalam tata tertib perang yang diakui.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: a warrior first defends by neutralizing incoming weapons and then responds proportionately. It reflects disciplined combat governed by accepted norms rather than uncontrolled violence.
During the Kurukṣetra battle, a king described as a great archer blocks the arrows shot by Yudhiṣṭhira (son of Dharma) and then shoots seven arrows at a Kaunteya (a son of Kuntī, i.e., one of the Pāṇḍavas).