Shloka 56
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
अन्वयुर्भरतश्रेष्ठ सप्त श्वेतरथं प्रति । ततस्ता ज्वलिता: सप्त महेन्द्राशनिनि:स्वना:
sañjaya uvāca |
anvayur bharataśreṣṭha sapta śvetarathaṃ prati |
tatastā jvalitāḥ sapta mahendrāśaninissvanāḥ ||
三阇耶说道：噢，婆罗多族中最卓越者啊，那七种飞射之兵一齐奔向白者（Śveta）的战车。随即它们烈焰腾起，轰鸣之声如因陀罗的金刚雷霆，七者同时疾驰而进，直扑其身——此景正显战祸之力一旦纵放，何其骇人而无可遏止。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly violence can intensify in war: multiple lethal forces converge at once, and the comparison to Indra’s thunderbolt underscores the awe and terror of unleashed power. Ethically, it invites reflection on the destructive momentum of conflict and the fragility of life amid martial glory.
Sañjaya reports that seven blazing missile-weapons (śaktis) surge together toward Śveta’s chariot, roaring like Indra’s thunderbolt—signaling a coordinated, overwhelming attack against the warrior Śveta in the Kurukṣetra battle.