Shloka 456
नाराचेन सुतीक्ष्णेन रुक्मपुड्खेन संयुगे | तदनन्तर सोमदत्तकुमारने युद्धस्थलमें सुवर्णमय पंखसे युक्त अत्यन्त तीखे नाराचद्वारा भीमसेनकी छातीमें प्रहार किया
sañjaya uvāca | nārācena sutīkṣṇena rukmapuṅkhena saṃyuge | tadanantaraṃ somadattakumāreṇa yuddhasthale suvarṇamaya-paṅkha-yuktenātyanta-tīkṣṇa-nārācena bhīmasenasya chātiṃ prahṛtā |
Sanjaya said: Then, in the thick of battle, Somadatta’s son struck Bhimasena on the chest with a razor-sharp nārāca arrow, fitted with a golden feathered shaft. The episode underscores the relentless precision of warfare, where prowess is measured by control and aim, even as the violence tests the warriors’ adherence to kṣatriya-duty amid escalating enmity.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya world of disciplined martial skill: even amid hatred and chaos, a warrior’s duty is expressed through controlled aim and steadfast engagement. Ethically, it points to how war magnifies both prowess and the moral burden of inflicting harm.
Sanjaya reports that Somadatta’s son (Bhūriśravas) shoots Bhima in the chest with an extremely sharp nārāca arrow fitted with golden feathering, describing a specific strike within the ongoing Kurukṣetra battle.