तस्यार्जुनः क्षुरप्राभ्यां सगदाव् उद्यतौ भुजौ ॥
चिच्छेदेन्द्रध्वजाकारौ शिरश् चान्येन पत्रिणा ॥
स पपात हतो राजन् वसुधाम् अनुनादयन् ॥
इन्द्रध्वज इवोत्सृष्टो यन्त्रनिर्मुक्तबन्धनः ॥
रथानीकावगाढश् च वारणाश्वशतैर् वृतः ॥
सो ऽदृश्यत तदा पार्थो घनैः सूर्य इवावृतः ॥
tasyārjunaḥ kṣuraprābhyāṃ sagadāv udyatau bhujau ||
cicchedendradhvajākārau śiraś cānyena patriṇā ||
sa papāta hato rājan vasudhām anunādayan ||
indradhvaja ivotsṛṣṭo yantranirmuktabandhanaḥ ||
rathānīkāvagāḍhaś ca vāraṇāśvaśatair vṛtaḥ ||
so 'dṛśyata tadā pārtho ghanaiḥ sūrya ivāvṛtaḥ ||
His two arms, raised with the mace, shaped like Indra's banners, Arjuna severed with two razor-arrows, and the head with yet another feathered shaft. He fell, slain, O king, making the earth resound, like Indra's banner cast down, its cords loosed from the hoisting frame. And, having plunged into the array of chariots, surrounded by hundreds of elephants and horses, Partha was then seen as the sun veiled by clouds.
dd47b56c7f25 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
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The chapter closes with the image "ghanaiḥ sūryaḥ iva āvṛtaḥ," "the sun veiled by clouds": Arjuna the sun is for a moment hidden behind hosts of enemies, yet not extinguished. A cloud conceals the sun without ending it. It is telling that even in overcoming all, the righteous one appears as if hidden by the multitude -- but this concealment is only temporary. The verse teaches that the light of truth does not go out under the assault of darkness, but is only veiled by it for a time: like the sun behind clouds, the righteous one is hidden amid a host of enemies, yet still shines; and soon, scattering the clouds, he will show himself again in full strength -- for darkness is never granted the power to extinguish light.