Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
सुवर्णपत्राश्न पतन्ति पश्चाद् दृष्टवा रथं श्वेतहयप्रयुक्तम् अहं होकः पार्थिवान् सर्वयोधान् शरान् वर्षन् मृत्युलोक॑ नयेयम्
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Wika ni Sañjaya: “Kapag nakita nila ang aking karwaheng nakayuko sa mga kabayong puti, ang mga ibong tinatawag na Suvarṇapatra ay sumasalpok pababa mula sa likuran. Mula sa tandang ito, wari’y ako lamang ang magpapaulan ng mga palaso at maghahatid sa lahat ng mga hari at mandirigma sa kaharian ng Kamatayan.”
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the war-ethos of confidence and intimidation, framed through omens: a warrior interprets a striking sign (birds swooping at the chariot) as confirmation of impending slaughter. Ethically, it reflects how martial pride can read fate as license for violence, a recurring tension in the Mahabharata between kshatriya duty and the human cost of war.
Sanjaya reports a speaker's boast: seeing the chariot drawn by white horses, Suvar47apatra birds swoop from behind, taken as an omen. The speaker concludes that he will single-handedly rain arrows and send kings and warriors to the realm of Death.