Shloka 263
शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni
with Ulūka’s fall
सोढुं ज्यातलनिर्घोषं याहि यावन्निहन्म्पहम् । 'शत्रुदमन! यह घुड़सवारोंकी सेना मेरे गाण्डीव धनुषकी टंकारको नहीं सह सकेगी। आप घोड़े बढ़ाइये, मैं अभी इन सबको मारे डालता हूँ
soḍhuṁ jyātalanirghoṣaṁ yāhi yāvan nihanyam aham | śatrudamana! iyaṁ ghoḍasavārāṇāṁ senā mama gāṇḍīva-dhanuṣaḥ ṭaṅkāraṁ na soḍhuṁ śakṣyati | aśvān vardhaya; aham etān sarvān adyaiva nihaniṣyāmi ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Majulah—sebelum aku menumpaskan mereka—agar mereka merasai dentuman dahsyat tali busur. Wahai penunduk musuh, pasukan berkuda ini tidak akan mampu menahan gema busur Gāṇḍīva milikku. Paculah kuda; aku akan segera membunuh mereka semua.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of decisive action and confidence in duty during battle, while also showing how morale and psychological impact (the feared sound of a famed weapon) can shape warfare.
A warrior (implied to be Arjuna by the mention of Gāṇḍīva) urges his charioteer to drive the horses forward, declaring that the enemy cavalry cannot withstand the intimidating twang of his bow and that he will swiftly destroy them.