भूयश् चाञ्जलिकेनास्य मार्गणेन महाप्रभम् ॥
द्रौणिहस्तस्थितं चापं चिच्छेदाशु घटोत्कचः ॥
ततो ऽन्यद् द्रौणिर् आदाय धनुर् भारसहं महत् ॥
ववर्ष विशिखांस् तीक्ष्णान् वारिधारा इवाम्बुदः ॥
ततः शारद्वतीपुत्रः प्रेषयाम् आस भारत ॥
सुवर्णपुङ्खाञ् शत्रुघ्नान् खचरान् खचरान् प्रति ॥
तद्बाणैर् अर्दितं यूथं रक्षसां पीनवक्षसाम् ॥
सिंहैर् इव बभौ मत्तं गजानाम् आकुलं कुलम् ॥
bhūyaś cāñjalikenāsya mārgaṇena mahāprabham ||
drauṇihastasthitaṃ cāpaṃ cicchedāśu ghaṭotkacaḥ ||
tato 'nyad drauṇir ādāya dhanur bhārasahaṃ mahat ||
vavarṣa viśikhāṃs tīkṣṇān vāridhārā ivāmbudaḥ ||
tataḥ śāradvatīputraḥ preṣayām āsa bhārata ||
suvarṇapuṅkhāñ śatrughnān khacarān khacarān prati ||
tadbāṇair arditaṃ yūthaṃ rakṣasāṃ pīnavakṣasām ||
siṃhair iva babhau mattaṃ gajānām ākulaṃ kulam ||
And once again, with the anjalika arrow, Ghatotkacha swiftly cut the greatly radiant bow in Drauni's hand. Then Drauni, taking up another bow, sturdy and immense, let loose sharp arrows, like a cloud pouring streams of water. Then the son [of Drona] sent forth, O Bharata, foe-slaying arrows with golden fletching against the sky-ranging rakshasas. The herd of broad-chested rakshasas, tormented by his arrows, shone like a frenzied, panicked herd of elephants pressed by lions.
56dc19b237d9 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:40:45 PM UTC
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The rakshasas, pressed by Ashvatthaman's arrows, scatter like a herd of elephants under the onslaught of lions: a single master throws an entire host into confusion. It is telling that his bow is cut down, yet he at once takes up another: no loss stops him. The verse teaches that skill joined with persistence overcomes numbers; and one who is not troubled by the loss of a weapon holds the field against an entire army.