Shloka 36
सुरोत्तमैरप्यविषद्मर्दितुं प्रसहा नागेन जहार तद् वृष: । स दुष्टभावो वितथप्रतिज्ञ: पं किक, 0 तमर्जुनस्य
surottamair apy aviṣad mardituṃ prasahā nāgena jahāra tad vṛṣaḥ | sa duṣṭabhāvo vitathapratijñaḥ paṃ kika, 0 tam arjunasya
Sañjaya berkata: Bahkan para dewa yang terunggul pun tidak akan mampu menahannya; namun lembu jantan di antara manusia itu telah direnggut secara paksa oleh ular. Maka, dengan niat yang jahat dan sumpah yang terbukti palsu, dia dibawa pergi—suatu pertanda buruk dalam haluan pertempuran Arjuna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores an ethical warning: when one acts with duṣṭa-bhāva (malicious intent) and becomes vitatha-pratijña (false to one’s vows), strength and status cannot secure victory; moral failure invites reversal and loss of control.
Sañjaya describes a dramatic moment in the battle where a mighty figure—likened to a bull among men—is forcibly seized and carried off by a Nāga (serpent), and this event is framed as a troubling development connected with Arjuna’s ongoing combat.