Shloka 60
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
निचखान नदन् वीरो वर्म भित्त्वा च सो5भ्ययात् | तब रणभूमिमें कुपित हो गर्जना करते हुए वीर शल्यने भीमसेनके विशाल वक्ष:स्थलमें एक तोमर धँसा दिया। वह उनके कवचको छेदकर छातीमें गड़ गया ।।
sañjaya uvāca | nicakhāna nadan vīro varma bhittvā ca so 'bhyayāt | tato raṇabhūmau kupito garjanaṃ kurvan vīraḥ śalyaḥ bhīmasenasya viśāla-vakṣaḥsthale ekaṃ tomaraṃ niṣpīḍya nyaveśayat | sa tasya kavacaṃ bhittvā urasi gāḍhaṃ jagāma | vṛkodaras tv asambhrāntas tam evoddhṛtya tomaram ... |
Sañjaya sprach: Laut brüllend trieb der Held seine Waffe hinein; nachdem er den Harnisch durchbohrt hatte, drängte er weiter vor. Da stieß auf dem Schlachtfeld der tapfere Śalya—zornentbrannt und donnernd—eine Tomara in Bhīmasenas breite Brust. Sie zerriss den Brustpanzer und saß tief in seinem Fleisch. Doch Vṛkodara blieb unerschüttert, packte eben jenen Speer und riss ihn heraus.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadiness under injury: even when struck through armour, Bhīma remains asambhrānta (unshaken). Ethically, it portrays battlefield duty where courage and composure are praised, while anger (kupita) is shown as a driving force that must still operate within the warrior code.
Sañjaya narrates that Śalya, enraged and roaring, drives a tomara into Bhīma’s broad chest, piercing his armour and lodging deep. Bhīma (Vṛkodara), undisturbed, pulls the spear out, signaling resilience and readiness to continue the fight.