Shloka 12
Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam
ते शरा: प्राप्प कौन्तेयं समन्ताद विविशु: प्रभो । फलभारनतं यद्वत् स्वादुवृक्षं विहड़्मा:,प्रभो! वे बाण सब ओरसे कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनके ऊपर पड़कर उनके शरीरमें धँसने लगे, मानो फलोंके भारसे झुके स्वादिष्ट वृक्षपर चारों ओरसे पक्षी टूटे पड़ते हों
te śarāḥ prāpya kaunteyaṃ samantād viviśuḥ prabho | phalabhāranataṃ yadvat svāduvṛkṣaṃ vihaṅgamāḥ ||
ते शराः प्राप्य कौन्तेयं समन्ताद् विविशुः प्रभो । फलभारनतं यद्वत् स्वादुवृक्षं विहङ्गमाः ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how concentrated aggression can overwhelm even a great warrior, using a natural simile to show that strength and excellence (like a fruit-laden tree) can also attract intense assault. Ethically, it points to the harsh reality of war: merit does not exempt one from suffering, and strategic encirclement magnifies harm.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna is being struck from all directions; the arrows reach him and lodge in his body. The comparison is to birds rushing in from every side to peck at a sweet tree bowed down with fruit.