निपपात रणे तूर्ण सौबलस्य महात्मन: । भीमसेनके हाथोंसे छूटी हुई सर्पकी जिह्नवाके समान वह चंचल शक्ति रणभूमिमें तुरंत ही महामना शकुनिपर जा पड़ी
sañjaya uvāca |
nipapāta raṇe tūrṇaṃ saubalasya mahātmanaḥ |
bhīmasenakarāc chuktā sarpajihveva cañcalā śaktir raṇabhūmau tvaritaṃ mahāmanā śakunim eva jagāma ||
सञ्जय उवाच—सा शक्तिः भीमसेनहस्तात् तूर्णं विमुक्ता सर्पजिह्वेव चञ्चला रणे सौबलस्य महात्मनः शकुनेः उपरि निपपात।
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the moral gravity of war: actions and alliances culminate in unavoidable consequences. Even those described with honorific epithets are not exempt from the results of their choices, and violence—once embraced—returns with swift finality.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where a spear (śakti), released from Bhīma’s hand, moves swiftly and unsteadily like a serpent’s tongue and falls upon Śakuni (Saubala), indicating a direct strike against him in the fighting.