Shloka 20
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
तथैवार्जुनिना मुक्ता: शरा: कनकभूषणा:
tathaivārjuninā muktāḥ śarāḥ kanakabhūṣaṇāḥ
Disse Sañjaya: Do mesmo modo, as flechas disparadas por Arjuna—adornadas de ouro—irromperam velozes, sinalizando sua firme resolução de se engajar na batalha. A imagem ressalta uma ação marcial disciplinada: poder dirigido com propósito, e não mera fúria, enquanto o peso ético da guerra recai sobre cada ato.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined action in a morally charged setting: Arjuna’s force is not random violence but purposeful, duty-bound engagement. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring concern that even in war, conduct should be governed by resolve, restraint, and dharma.
Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna releases arrows adorned with gold, describing the intensity and splendor of the combat. The line functions as a vivid battlefield detail, emphasizing Arjuna’s active participation and the formidable exchange of missiles.