Mahabharata 7.117.9 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 117, Shloka 9
Bhūriśravas–Sātyaki Saṃvāda and Duel; Arjuna’s Intervention (भूरिश्रवाः–सात्यकि संवादः, युद्धम्, अर्जुन-हस्तक्षेपः)
ते तस्य जध्निरे वाहान् भल्लेनास्याच्छिनद् धनु: । पृष्ठरक्ष॑ं तथा सूतमविध्यन्निशितै: शरै:
te tasya jadhnire vāhān bhallena asyācchinad dhanuḥ | pṛṣṭharakṣaṃ tathā sūtam avidhyan niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
সেই চারটি বাণে কৃতবর্মার চারটি ঘোড়াই নিহত হল। সাত্যকি ভল্লবাণে তার ধনুক কেটে দিলেন। তারপর তীক্ষ্ণ শর দিয়ে তার পৃষ্ঠরক্ষক ও সারথিকেও বিদ্ধ করে ক্ষতবিক্ষত করলেন।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a grim aspect of kṣatriya warfare: victory often comes through tactical disabling—killing horses, cutting the bow, and striking attendants—raising ethical tension between battlefield necessity and the suffering inflicted on those who serve.
In the midst of the Drona Parva battle, Sātyaki (and his side) neutralizes an opponent’s chariot by killing the horses, severing the bow with a bhalla arrow, and then wounding the rear-guard protector and the charioteer with sharp arrows.
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