Shloka 20

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

Devanagari script

अद्यार्जुनभनुर्घोषं घोरं जानातु संयुगे । अस्त्राणां च बलं॑ सर्व बाद्दोश्चन बलमाहवे,“आज राजा धृतराष्ट्र अनुभव करें कि भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णका कैसा माहात्म्य है और आज वे यह भी जान लें कि युद्धस्थलमें अर्जुनके गाण्डीव धनुषकी टंकार कितनी भयंकर है? उनके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी सारी शक्ति कैसी है तथा रणभूमिमें उनकी दोनों भुजाओंका बल कितना अद्भुत है?

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

adyārjunadhanurghoṣaṃ ghoraṃ jānātu saṃyuge |

astrāṇāṃ ca balaṃ sarvaṃ bāhvoś ca balaṃ āhave ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“今日，战阵之中，当使大王知晓：阿周那之弓弦轰鸣何其可怖；亦当使他明白阿周那诸般兵器的全然威力，以及他在战场上双臂的雄力。”

Word by Word

अद्यtoday/now

अर्जुनArjuna

धनुःbow

घोषम्sound/roar (twang)

घोरम्terrible, dreadful

जानातुlet (him) know

संयुगेin battle

अस्त्राणाम्of weapons/missiles

चand

बलम्strength, power

सर्वम्entire, all

बाह्वोःof (his) two arms

चand

बलम्strength

आहवेin battle, in combat

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'the king')

Arjuna’s bow (Gāṇḍīva implied)

Weapons (astra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores accountability in leadership: the king must face the consequences of war by recognizing the real power unleashed—Arjuna’s martial prowess—rather than clinging to denial or wishful thinking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, urges him to realize—here and now—the terrifying sound of Arjuna’s bow and the overwhelming effectiveness of his weapons and arm-strength on the battlefield.