अध्याय ५३ — रणमेघोपमा सेना-वर्णना तथा सुषेण-वधोत्तर प्रतिक्रिया
Battle-as-Storm Imagery and the Aftermath of Suṣeṇa’s Fall
कृपस्तु शरवर्ष तद् विनिहत्य महास्त्रवित् । शिखण्डिनं रणे क्रुद्धो विव्याध दशभि: शरै:,महान् अस्त्रवेत्ता कृपाचार्यने शिखण्डीकी उस बाण-वर्षाका निवारण करके कुपित हो उसे दस बाणोंद्वारा घायल कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
kr̥pastu śaravarṣa tad vinihatya mahāstravit |
śikhaṇḍinaṃ raṇe kruddho vivyādha daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
قال سنجيا: أمّا كِرِبا، سيد الأسلحة العظيمة، فقد صدَّ ذلك الوابل من السهام؛ ثم، وقد استبدّ به الغضب في خضم القتال، طعن شيخَنْدين بعشرة سهام.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the tension between disciplined martial duty and the destabilizing force of anger: even a highly skilled warrior who can neutralize an attack may, when provoked, respond with intensified violence—inviting reflection on restraint (self-control) as an ethical ideal amid kṣatriya duty.
In the ongoing battle, Śikhaṇḍin releases a heavy shower of arrows. Kr̥pa counters and stops that barrage, then—angered—shoots Śikhaṇḍin with ten arrows, wounding him.