Shloka 256
Adhyāya 41 — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Briefing and the Renewal of the Great Engagement
तस्याहमद्यातिरथस्य काया- च्छिरो हरिष्यामि शितै: पृषत्कै: । 'श्वेतवाहन अर्जुन मानी
tasya aham adyātirathasya kāyāc chiro hariṣyāmi śitaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ |
सञ्जय उवाच— तस्याहमद्य अतिरथस्य कायाच्छिरो हरिष्यामि शितैः पृषत्कैः। श्वेतवाहनं महाबाहुमस्त्रविदं सिद्धहस्तं दिव्यास्त्रविदं शत्रुमर्दनम्—तं वीरमर्जुनम् अद्याहं तीक्ष्णैर्बाणैः शिरश्छेत्स्यामि॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of unwavering resolve in battle, while implicitly raising ethical tension: vows of destruction and pride in prowess operate within (and sometimes strain) the ideals of dharma-yuddha.
In the heat of the Kurukṣetra war, a combatant declares an intention to behead a foremost warrior (an atiratha) using sharp arrows; Sañjaya reports this to Dhṛtarāṣṭra as part of the unfolding battlefield account.