Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 6
Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation
नकुल: पज्चभिश्लैनं सहदेवश्व॒ पञ्चभि: । विद्ध्वा तं तु पुनस्तूर्ण ततो विव्याध सप्तभि:
nakulaḥ pañcabhiś cainaṃ sahadevaś ca pañcabhiḥ | viddhvā taṃ tu punas tūrṇaṃ tato vivyādha saptabhiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Nakula struck him with five arrows, and Sahadeva too with five. Having thus pierced him, they again, in swift succession, wounded him further—then with seven more arrows—pressing the attack without pause amid the fury of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of steadfastness and coordinated effort in battle: once an opponent is engaged, the warriors act decisively and without hesitation. Ethically, it reflects the epic’s portrayal of duty-driven action within the harsh necessities of war, rather than personal cruelty.
Sañjaya describes a rapid exchange in the battlefield: Nakula and Sahadeva strike their opponent with volleys of arrows—first five each, then again swiftly, followed by seven more—intensifying pressure and demonstrating synchronized martial skill.
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