बाणशब्देन महता खुरनेमिस्वनेन च ॥
हुंकारैः क्ष्वेडितोत्क्रुष्टैः सिंहनादैः सगर्जितैः ॥
ज्यातलत्रस्वनैर् अन्ये गर्जन्तो ऽर्जुननन्दनम् ॥
ब्रुवन्तश् च न नो जीवन् मोक्ष्यसे जीवताम् इति ॥
तांस् तथा ब्रुवतो दृष्ट्वा सौभद्रः प्रहसन्न् इव ॥
यो यः स्म प्राहरत् पूर्वं तं तं विव्याध पत्रिभिः ॥
bāṇaśabdena mahatā khuranemisvanena ca ||
huṃkāraiḥ kṣveḍitotkruṣṭaiḥ siṃhanādaiḥ sagarjitaiḥ ||
jyātalatrasvanair anye garjanto 'rjunanandanam ||
bruvantaś ca na no jīvan mokṣyase jīvatām iti ||
tāṃs tathā bruvato dṛṣṭvā saubhadraḥ prahasann iva ||
yo yaḥ sma prāharat pūrvaṃ taṃ taṃ vivyādha patribhiḥ ||
With the great whistle of arrows and the clatter of hooves and wheel-rims, with the fearsome 'hum,' with whoops and yells, with lion-roars and thunder, with the twang of bowstring and finger-guard, others threatened Arjuna's delight, shouting, 'You will not escape us alive while we live!' Seeing them thus threatening, Subhadra's son, with a smile, wounded with feathered arrows whoever struck at him first.
0dd4a75e27c8 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:22:09 PM UTC
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The enemies threaten with noise and shouting, 'You will not leave alive!' -- and the boy answers 'with a smile,' striking down each one who struck first. A calm smile against a furious din shows the superiority of a gathered spirit over a clamoring crowd. It is telling that he strikes only those who attacked first -- even in the thick of battle keeping to a measure of justice: answering blow with blow. The verse teaches that a cool smile is stronger than a terrifying roar; that true courage does not answer threats with threats but with calm action; and that in the very heat of battle the noble man keeps to justice, striking down whoever struck first rather than striking indiscriminately -- for valor, however fearsome, does not abandon measure.