Shloka 8
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter
व्यश्वसूतध्वजरथान् विप्रविद्धायुधद्विपान् । सम्यगस्तै: शरै: पाण्ड्यो वायुर्मेघानिवाक्षिपत्
sañjaya uvāca | vyaśvasūtadhvajarathān vipraviddhāyudhadvipān | samyag astaiḥ śaraiḥ pāṇḍyo vāyur meghān ivākṣipat |
Sañjaya disse: O rei Pāṇḍya, com flechas bem disparadas e precisamente apontadas, dispersou o exército inimigo—privando-o de cavalos, cocheiros, estandartes e carros, e abatendo também suas armas e elefantes—como o vento impele e espalha as nuvens. O verso ressalta a eficiência implacável da perícia no campo de batalha, capaz de transformar rapidamente forças organizadas em desordem.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how swiftly disciplined skill (samyag astaiḥ śaraiḥ) can overturn apparent strength in war: formations and symbols of power—chariots, banners, mounts—can be rendered meaningless when order collapses. Ethically, it points to the grim reality that prowess in a dharma-yuddha still produces massive destruction, reminding readers that victory often comes through the rapid dismantling of an opponent’s capacity to fight.
Sanjaya describes the Pandya king’s attack: with accurately released arrows he disables the opposing troops by depriving them of horses, charioteers, banners, and chariots, and he also strikes down their weapons and elephants. The effect is compared to wind scattering clouds—an image of sudden, sweeping battlefield disruption.