Shloka 34
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 37: Sañjaya’s Account of Abhimanyu’s Precision Disruption of a Chariot Contingent
ततः स विद्धो<स्त्रविदा मर्मभिद्धिरजिदह्ागै: | शल्यो राजन् रथोपस्थे निषसाद मुमोह च,राजन! अस्त्रवेत्ता अभिमन्युके चलाये हुए मर्मभेदी बाणोंद्वारा घायल होकर राजा शल्य रथकी बैठकमें धम्मसे बैठ गये और मूर्छित हो गये
tataḥ sa viddho ’stravidā marmabhiddhir ajihāgaiḥ | śalyo rājan rathopasthe niṣasāda mumohaca ||
Sañjaya said: Then King Śalya, struck by the weapon-expert’s vital-piercing arrows—swift as serpents—collapsed onto the seat of his chariot, O King, and fell into a faint. The scene underscores how, in the chaos of war, even renowned warriors are rendered helpless when the body’s vulnerable points are expertly targeted.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of embodied power: even eminent warriors can be undone when vital points are struck by expert skill. Ethically, it reflects the harsh reality of battlefield dharma, where prowess and vulnerability coexist, and outcomes can turn abruptly.
Sañjaya reports that King Śalya is hit by a weapon-master’s vital-piercing, serpent-swift arrows; he slumps onto the chariot-seat and loses consciousness, indicating a sudden reversal in his fighting capacity.