Shloka 33
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
पजञ्चभि: सहदेवस्तु नकुलो दशभि: शरै: । द्रौपदेयाश्न शत्रुघ्नं शूरमार्तायनिं शरै:
pañcabhiḥ sahadevas tu nakulo daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ | draupadeyāś ca śatrughnaṃ śūram ārtāyaniṃ śaraiḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Sahadeva traf ihn mit fünf Pfeilen, Nakula mit zehn. Auch die Söhne der Draupadī überschütteten den heldenhaften Ārtāyani (Śalya), den Feindbezwinger, mit einem Hagel von Geschossen. Als Bhīmasena dies sah, loderte sein Zorn auf, und er durchbohrte Śalya mit sieben Pfeilen. So verwundeten in der Enge der Schlacht die Pāṇḍava und Draupadīs Söhne gemeinsam Śalya, vom Pflichtgebot getragen, einen furchtbaren feindlichen Heerführer niederzuringen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: when a powerful adversary threatens the army, warriors act decisively and in concert. It also implicitly warns that anger (as in Bhīma’s surge of wrath) can intensify action, yet must be harnessed toward the duty of protecting one’s side and restoring order in battle.
In the thick of the Kurukṣetra battle, Sahadeva, Nakula, and the sons of Draupadī strike the heroic Śalya with volleys of arrows. Seeing Śalya being engaged, Bhīma becomes enraged and shoots Śalya with seven arrows, further wounding him.