Shloka 23
दुर्मर्षणो विकर्णश्व॒ सिन्धुराजश्व वीर्यवान् । भीम॑ ते विव्यधुस्तूर्ण शल्यहेतोररिंदमा:,तत्पश्चात् कृपाचार्य, कृतवर्मा, पराक्रमी भगदत्त, अवन्तीके विन्द और अनुविन्द, चित्रसेन, दुर्मर्षण, विकर्ण और पराक्रमी सिन्धुराज जयद्रथ शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले इन वीरोंने राजा शल्यकी रक्षाके लिये भीमसेनको तुरंत ही घायल कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
durmarṣaṇo vikarṇaś ca sindhurājaś ca vīryavān |
bhīmaṃ te vivyadhus tūrṇaṃ śalya-hetor ariṃdamāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Durmarṣaṇa, Vikarna, and the valiant Sindhurāja (Jayadratha)—those subduers of foes—swiftly struck Bhīma, doing so for the sake of protecting Śalya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic of collective responsibility: warriors set aside individual contests to defend a vulnerable ally (Śalya). It reflects kṣatriya-dharma as loyalty to one’s side and tactical protection of key fighters, even when the opponent is formidable like Bhīma.
Sañjaya reports that Durmarṣaṇa, Vikarna, and Jayadratha (Sindhurāja) quickly attack and wound Bhīma, specifically to safeguard Śalya amid the fighting.