Shloka 79
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
अयं सौभं योधयामास खस्थं विभीषणं मायया शाल्वराजम् | सौभद्दारि प्रत्यगृह्नाच्छतघ्नीं दोर्भ्या क एनं विषद्वेत मर्त्य:
ayaṃ saubhaṃ yodhayāmāsa khasthaṃ vibhīṣaṇaṃ māyayā śālvarājam | saubhaddāri pratyagṛhnāc chataghnīṃ dorbhyā ka enaṃ viṣadvet martyaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Baginda bertempur dengan Śālva, yang berada di angkasa dalam kubu terbang Saubha, dan yang dengan sihir telah mengambil rupa yang amat menggerunkan. Di ambang pintu Saubha, baginda merampas peluru besi (śataghnī) itu dengan kedua-dua tangan. Manusia manakah mampu menahan kelajuan dan kekuatan sedemikian?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights extraordinary valor and presence of mind in battle: even when confronted with deceptive, fear-inducing sorcery (māyā), a true warrior remains steady and acts decisively. It implicitly contrasts mere magical terror with inner strength and disciplined courage.
Sañjaya describes a feat in which the hero confronts King Śālva, who fights from the airborne Saubha using magical illusion. During the clash, the hero even catches a formidable fort-weapon (śataghnī) at Saubha’s doorway, and Sañjaya marvels that no ordinary mortal could bear such speed and force.