Shloka 6
Pāṇḍya-vadha-anantaram Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ
Arjuna’s Response and the Renewed Battle
स केशवं चार्जुनं चातितेजा विव्याध मर्मस्वतिरौद्रकर्मा बाणै: सुयुक्तैरतितीव्रवेगै- यैराहतो मृत्युरपि व्यथेत
sa keśavaṃ cārjunaṃ cātitejā vivyādha marma-sv atiraudra-karmā | bāṇaiḥ suyuktair atitīvra-vegair yair āhato mṛtyur api vyatheta ||
Sañjaya berkata: Aśvatthāman yang amat bersinar—yang perbuatannya ngeri dan ganas—menikam Keśava (Kṛṣṇa) dan Arjuna pada titik-titik hayat dengan anak panah yang tepat dan berkelajuan luar biasa. Hentamannya begitu dahsyat sehingga Maut sendiri, andai terkena, pasti tergoncang oleh kesakitan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war can escalate into extreme ferocity where even the idea of ‘Death’ is poetically said to suffer—highlighting the ethical peril of unrestrained violence. At the same time, by placing Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna at the center, it hints that mere force is not the final arbiter; destiny, divine protection, and dharma shape outcomes beyond raw martial power.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāmā, blazing with martial energy, shoots exceptionally swift and well-aimed arrows that strike Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) and Arjuna in vital spots. The description is hyperbolic to convey the terrifying intensity of the assault and the danger faced by the Pāṇḍava side.