Shloka 103
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
निघ्नन्तमभिजन्नुस्ते शरै: शृद्जैरिवर्षभा: । उस समय संशप्तक वीर अत्यन्त रोषमें भरकर मैथुनकी इच्छावाली गायके लिये लड़नेवाले मदमत्त साँड़ोंके समान गर्जन एवं हुंकार करते हुए कुपित अर्जुनकी ओर टूट पड़े और जैसे साँड़ एक-दूसरेको सींगोंसे मारते हैं, उसी प्रकार वे अपने ऊपर प्रहार करते हुए अर्जुनको बाणोंद्वारा चोट पहुँचाने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | nighnantam abhijannus te śaraiḥ śṛṅgair ivarṣabhāḥ |
सञ्जय उवाच—तं निघ्नन्तमभिद्रुत्य ते संशप्तकवीराः क्रोधसमाविष्टाः, मैथुनार्थं गवां प्रति युध्यमानाः मदोन्मत्तवृषभा इव गर्जन्तो हुङ्कारं कुर्वन्तः कुपितमर्जुनं प्रति न्यपतन्; यथा वृषभाः शृङ्गैः परस्परं विदारयन्ति, तथा तेऽपि समन्तात् समाघ्नन्तो बाणवृष्टिभिरर्जुनं व्यथयामासुः।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how uncontrolled wrath and vow-driven obstinacy can eclipse discernment: courage without restraint becomes destructive, pushing warriors into futile, self-harming aggression even when dharma would demand measured action.
While Arjuna is cutting down opponents, the Saṁśaptaka fighters surge toward him in anger, bellowing like rutting bulls; they press in and strike at him, wounding him with repeated arrow-shots amid fierce close-quarters combat.