Shloka 17
मārkaṇḍeya-ukta yuddha-vyūha-pratyavyūhaḥ
Battle Formations and Countermeasures in the Rāmopākhyāna
मौर्वीविसृष्टा: स्तनयित्नुघोषा गाण्डीवमुक्तास्त्वतिवेगवन्त: । हस्तं समाहत्य धनंजयस्य भीमा: शब्दं घोरतरं नदन्ति,अर्जुनके गाण्डीव धनुषकी प्रत्यज्चासे छूटे हुए अत्यन्त वेगशाली बाण मेघोंके समान गर्जना करते हैं। वे भयानक बाण अर्जुनके हाथसे टकराकर अत्यन्त घोर शब्दकी सृष्टि करते हैं
maurvī-visṛṣṭāḥ stanayitnu-ghoṣā gāṇḍīva-muktās tv ati-vega-vantaḥ | hastaṃ samāhatya dhanañjayasya bhīmāḥ śabdaṃ ghorataraṃ nadanti ||
Jayadratha berkata: “Dilepaskan dari tali busur, mengaum seperti guruh awan, anak-anak panah yang ditembak dari Gāṇḍīva meluncur dengan kelajuan yang dahsyat. Apabila batang-batang panah yang menggerunkan itu menghentam tangan Dhanañjaya, ia menimbulkan bunyi yang lebih ngeri lagi.”
जयद्रथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overwhelming force of martial action and its consequences: power expressed through weapons creates fear and escalation. Ethically, it underscores how violence amplifies dread, even when performed by a renowned hero.
Jayadratha describes Arjuna’s arrows released from the Gāṇḍīva: they roar like thunder and, upon striking against Arjuna’s hand (in the clash of combat), produce an even more terrifying sound—emphasizing the intensity of the encounter.