Shloka 15
Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas
Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode
तौ रथौ सूर्यसंकाशौ योत्स्यमानौ महाबलौ | शारदाविव जीमूतौ व्यरोचेतां व्यवस्थितौ
tau rathau sūryasaṅkāśau yotsyamānau mahābalau | śāradāv iva jīmūtau vyarocetāṃ vyavasthitau ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Os dois carros, radiantes como o sol e conduzidos por guerreiros de grande poder, ficaram postados para lutar. Ao tomarem suas posições, aqueles dois heróis resplandeceram como duas nuvens de outono—majestosas e carregadas de conflito iminente—assinalando o grave ímpeto de uma guerra provada pelo dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the solemn grandeur of warriors standing ready for battle: outward splendor and power do not remove the ethical weight of conflict. The imagery suggests contained force—like autumn clouds—implying that war, even when conducted with valor, carries a charged moral atmosphere where dharma will be tested.
Two mighty chariot-warriors take their positions, prepared to fight. The narrator (Vaiśampāyana) describes their brilliance and readiness through a vivid comparison: they look like two autumn clouds, impressive and ominously full, as the battle is about to begin.