Shloka 9
Kuru-Sainika-Āśvāsana and Vijayaghoṣaṇa
Reassuring the Kuru Soldiers; Proclaiming Victory
रथोपस्थाभिपतितैरास्तृता मानवैर्मही । प्रनृत्यतीव संग्रामे चापहस्तो धनंजय:
rathopasthābhipatitair āstṛtā mānavair mahī | pranṛtyatīva saṅgrāme cāpahasto dhanañjayaḥ ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: A terra estava juncada de homens que haviam caído dos assentos dos carros. Naquela batalha, Dhanañjaya—com o arco na mão—parecia, por assim dizer, dançar pelo campo, tão rápido e incessante era o seu golpe.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of righteous warfare: a warrior’s trained excellence can appear graceful and effortless, yet it unfolds amid severe human loss. It implicitly urges awareness of war’s moral weight even when one acts within kṣatriya duty.
The battlefield becomes covered with fallen men, especially those thrown from chariots. Arjuna (Dhanañjaya), holding his bow, moves so swiftly in combat that he appears to be ‘dancing’ as he overwhelms opponents.