Shloka 5
Bhīṣma’s Fall, the Arrow-bed (śara-talpa), and the Establishment of Guard
उत्पतन्ति हि मे बाणा धनु: प्रस्फुरतीव च । योगमस्त्राणि गच्छन्ति क्रूरे मे वर्तते मति:
utpatanti hi me bāṇā dhanuḥ prasphuratīva ca | yogam astrāṇi gacchanti krūre me vartate matiḥ ||
Disse Sañjaya: “De fato, minhas flechas parecem saltar, e meu arco estremece como se tivesse vida. As armas, por si mesmas, se põem em prontidão sobre o arco. Em minha mente ergue-se uma resolução áspera — um impulso para a crueldade.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the charged atmosphere of war, the mind can be seized by a harsh, violent resolve, and even ordinary signs—like a trembling bow or arrows seeming to leap—are read as omens. Ethically, it points to the danger of letting inner impulses toward cruelty override discernment and dharma.
Sañjaya reports ominous, heightened battle-readiness: arrows seem to spring forth, the bow trembles, and weapons appear to fit themselves into action. Alongside these signs, he notes a rising inclination in his own mind toward fierce, cruel action—reflecting the intensifying momentum toward combat.