Shloka 4
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
ते तस्य कवचं भित्त्वा पपु: शोणितमाहवे । असूनिव विचिन्वन्तो देहे तस्य महात्मन:,संग्राममें वे बाण महात्मा युधिष्ठिरके शरीरमें उनके प्राणोंको ढूँढ़ते हुए-से कवच छेदकर घुस गये और उनका रक्त पीने लगे
te tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā papuḥ śoṇitam āhave | asūn iva vicinvanto dehe tasya mahātmanaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dalam himpitan pertempuran, anak panah itu menembusi zirahnya lalu masuk ke tubuh Yudhiṣṭhira yang berhati agung, seolah-olah mencari nafas hayatnya sendiri, dan meminum darahnya. Baris ini menegaskan kekejaman perang yang tidak berbelas: bahkan insan mulia pun menjadi sasaran keganasan yang tidak henti-henti, menguji batas ketahanan dan kebenaran di medan laga.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of righteous war: even the noble are subjected to extreme violence. It implicitly contrasts inner greatness (mahātman) with the body’s vulnerability, reminding the listener that dharma in war demands steadfastness amid suffering and the inevitability of bodily harm.
Sañjaya describes a warrior being struck so fiercely that the missiles pierce his armor and draw blood, poetically saying they seem to search for his very life-breath within his body—an image of relentless, close-fought combat.