Shloka 20
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
समाधत्त सुसंकुद्धः क्षुरप्रं लोमवाहिनम् । तेन चिच्छेद नृपतेर्भीम: कार्मुकमुत्तमम्
saṃdadhat susaṃkuddhaḥ kṣurapraṃ lomavāhinam | tena ciccheda nṛpater bhīmaḥ kārmukam uttamam ||
Sañjaya sprach: Von Zorn entflammt legte Bhīma einen pfeilscharfen, rasierklingengleichen Pfeil auf, schnell im Flug, mit feinen Federn wie Haar. Mit ihm hieb er den vortrefflichen Bogen des Königs entzwei—um Duryodhanas Kampfkraft zu brechen und seine Niederlage im gerechten Zorn des Schlachtfeldes zu beschleunigen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, power is ideally directed toward disabling an opponent’s capacity to harm rather than indulging in uncontrolled slaughter; the verse highlights disciplined martial action—severing the bow—to neutralize threat while fulfilling kṣatriya-duty.
Bhīma, furious in battle, sets a razor-headed arrow and uses it to cut Duryodhana’s excellent bow, aiming to weaken him decisively in the fight.