Shloka 38
Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)
तोमरै: सूर्यरश्म्याभैर्भगदत्तो5थ सप्तभि:
tomaraiḥ sūryaraśmyābhair bhagadatto 'tha saptabhiḥ
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian Bhagadatta, dengan tujuh batang lembing yang berkilau seperti sinar matahari, mara melancarkan serangan—gambaran kekuatan perang yang memancar di tengah keganasan medan tempur yang tidak henti-henti menguji batas etika.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves narrative description rather than direct moral instruction; it highlights how war magnifies power and spectacle, implicitly reminding the listener that brilliance in arms does not resolve the deeper ethical tragedy of fratricidal conflict.
Sañjaya reports that Bhagadatta attacks using seven javelins whose shine is compared to the sun’s rays, emphasizing the intensity and formidable nature of his assault in the Drona Parva battle sequence.