Shloka 9
भीष्मस्य जलप्रार्थना — अर्जुनस्य पर्जन्यास्त्रप्रयोगः — दुर्योधनं प्रति सन्ध्युपदेशः
Bhīṣma’s request for water; Arjuna’s Parjanya-astra; counsel to Duryodhana on reconciliation
सप्तभि: शल्यमाविध्यत् कृतवर्माणमष्टभि: । कृपस्य सशरं चाप॑ मध्ये चिच्छेद भारत,भारत! भीमसेनने शल्यको सात और कृतवर्माको आठ बाणोंसे बींध डाला। फिर कृपाचार्यके बाणसहित धनुषको बीचसे ही काट दिया
saptabhiḥ śalyam āvidhyat kṛtavarmāṇam aṣṭabhiḥ | kṛpasya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ madhye ciccheda bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: Bhīmasena struck Śalya with seven arrows and Kṛtavarman with eight. Then, O Bhārata, he cut Kṛpa’s bow—together with the arrow set upon it—right in the middle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, skill is often directed toward disabling an adversary’s means of attack (cutting the bow) rather than only inflicting injury—an aspect of battlefield prudence within kṣatriya-dharma, even amid harsh violence.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma shoots Śalya with seven arrows and Kṛtavarman with eight, then severs Kṛpa’s bow at the center, even as it bears an arrow—dramatically neutralizing Kṛpa’s immediate ability to shoot.