Shloka 57
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
तत्र युद्धम भूद् घोरं मुहूर्तमतिदारुणम् । सात्यकिस्तु महाबाहुर्मम हत्वा परिच्छदम्
tatra yuddham abhūd ghoraṁ muhūrtam atidāruṇam | sātyakis tu mahābāhur mama hatvā paricchadam ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Di situ pertempuran menjadi mengerikan—amat dahsyat untuk seketika. Kemudian Sātyaki yang berlengan perkasa, setelah menumbangkan pelindungku (zirah dan kelengkapan), terus menekan serangan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the brutal intensity and rapid reversals of war: even a brief moment can become overwhelmingly destructive, and a warrior’s protection and status can be stripped away instantly—highlighting the fragility of worldly safeguards amid adharma-driven conflict.
Sañjaya reports that the fighting suddenly turns extremely fierce for a short interval. In that surge, Sātyaki, described as ‘mighty-armed,’ destroys the speaker’s (i.e., the opposing warrior’s) protective covering/accoutrements, indicating a decisive tactical advantage and escalation in the duel.