Shloka 5
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
स शिरांसि रणे<४रीणां रथांश्व॒ सयुगध्वजान् । निचकर्त महावेगैर्भल्लै: संनतपर्वभि:,वे युद्धमें झुकी हुई गाँठवाले अत्यन्त वेगशाली भललोंद्वारा शत्रुओंके मस्तक, रथ, जूआ तथा ध्वज काट-काटकर गिराने लगे
sa śirāṃsi raṇe 'rīṇāṃ rathān aśvān sayugadhvajān | nicakarta mahāvegair bhallaiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ||
Sanjaya thưa: Giữa cơn giao chiến, ngài bắt đầu chém rơi đầu quân địch, và cắt nát chiến xa, ngựa, ách xe cùng cờ hiệu—ra đòn bằng những mũi tên bhalla cực nhanh, có các đốt cong.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the stark reality of kṣatriya warfare: mastery in arms is shown by swiftly neutralizing both the opponent and his instruments of battle. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s tension between dharma-bound duty in war and the grim violence that duty entails.
Sañjaya describes a warrior (contextually, a principal fighter in the battle) using very fast bhalla-arrows to sever enemies’ heads and to disable their chariots, horses, yokes, and flags—systematically breaking the enemy’s fighting capacity.