ततः शतसहस्राणि शराणां नतपर्वणाम् ॥
व्यसृजन्न् अर्जुने राजन् संशप्तकमहारथाः ॥
नैव कुन्तीसुतः पार्थो नैव कृष्णो जनार्दनः ॥
न हया न रथो राजन् दृश्यन्ते स्म शरैश् चिताः ॥
यदा मोहम् अनुप्राप्तः सस्वेदश् च जनार्दनः ॥
ततस् तान् प्रायशः पार्थो वज्रास्त्रेण निजघ्निवान् ॥
tataḥ śatasahasrāṇi śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām ||
vyasṛjann arjune rājan saṃśaptakamahārathāḥ ||
naiva kuntīsutaḥ pārtho naiva kṛṣṇo janārdanaḥ ||
na hayā na ratho rājan dṛśyante sma śaraiś citāḥ ||
yadā moham anuprāptaḥ sasvedaś ca janārdanaḥ ||
tatas tān prāyaśaḥ pārtho vajrāstreṇa nijaghnivān ||
Then hundreds of thousands of well-wrought arrows the great chariot-warriors of the Samshaptakas let loose at Arjuna, O sovereign. Neither Partha, Kunti's son, nor Krishna Janardana, nor horses, nor chariot, O sovereign, could be seen, screened by arrows. When Janardana fell into a swoon, drenched in sweat, then Partha slew almost all of them with the thunderbolt weapon.
32cd569dd21e · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
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Even Krishna, the Lord, 'falls into a swoon and breaks into sweat' under the downpour of arrows — the mystery of His voluntary condescension reveals itself once more: the all-knowing one takes on human frailty for the sake of closeness with His devotee. And it is precisely when his friend has fainted that Arjuna manifests his highest power, resorting to the thunderbolt weapon. It is notable that the devotee's feat is accomplished at the very hour when the Lord seems to have grown faint — as though Krishna's power were acting through Arjuna. The verse teaches that the Supreme, in His pastime, takes on even human weakness, concealing His greatness; that the devotee, seeing the Lord's 'frailty,' does not lose himself but rises up in full strength, for that strength is itself the Lord's power within him; and that in the mutual service of friend and Friend is accomplished what surpasses any solitary might.