नाकुलिस् तु शतानीकः सौमदत्तिं नरर्षभम् ॥
द्वाभ्यां विद्ध्वानदद् धृष्टः शराभ्यां शत्रुतापनः ॥
तथेतरे रणे यत्तास् त्रिभिस् त्रिभिर् अजिह्मगैः ॥
विव्यधुः समरे तूर्णं सौमदत्तिम् अमर्षणम् ॥
स तान् प्रति महाराज चिक्षिपे पञ्च सायकान् ॥
एकैकं हृदि चाजघ्ने एकैकेन महायशाः ॥
nākulis tu śatānīkaḥ saumadattiṃ nararṣabham ||
dvābhyāṃ viddhvānadad dhṛṣṭaḥ śarābhyāṃ śatrutāpanaḥ ||
tathetare raṇe yattās tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ ||
vivyadhuḥ samare tūrṇaṃ saumadattim amarṣaṇam ||
sa tān prati mahārāja cikṣipe pañca sāyakān ||
ekaikaṃ hṛdi cājaghne ekaikena mahāyaśāḥ ||
And the son of Nakula, Shatanika, tormentor of foes, piercing the son of Somadatta, that bull among men, with two arrows, roared out in joy. Likewise the others, eager in the battle, swiftly pierced the unyielding son of Somadatta with three straight-flying arrows each. He, in answer to them, O great king, hurled five arrows and struck each one in the heart—each with a single arrow, the greatly renowned one.
523a5e81866c · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:02:22 PM UTC
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Having come to themselves, the sons of Draupadi answer together, each contributing his share to the common response. But the enemy too shows the measure of his mastery—"ekaikaṃ hṛdi… ekaikena", each struck in the heart with a single arrow. It is telling that the valor of the young meets the valor of the seasoned, and neither side yields. The verse teaches that the brave, gathered together, overcome their first confusion, while true mastery answers many even alone, without missing—and in the clash of such forces it is not numbers but steadfastness that decides.