Shloka 68
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 95 — Sātyaki’s Breakthrough and the Routing of Allied Contingents
अर्जुन वासुदेवं च पुन: पुनरताडयत् । उस गदाको गिरी हुई देख अम्बष्ठने दूसरी विशाल गदा ले ली और श्रीकृष्ण तथा अर्जुनपर बारंबार प्रहार किया || ६७ ई || तस्यार्जुन: क्षुरप्राभ्यां सगदावुद्यतीौ भुजी
arjunaḥ vāsudevaṃ ca punaḥ punar atāḍayat | tasyārjunaḥ kṣuraprabhyāṃ sa-gadāv udyatau bhujau |
Sañjaya said: Arjuna struck Vāsudeva again and again. Then Arjuna, with razor-edged arrows, targeted the two upraised arms of the foe as he stood wielding his mace—showing how, amid the fury of battle, skill is directed toward disabling violence rather than indulging in blind slaughter.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, action is to be governed by discernment: the warrior’s skill aims to neutralize imminent harm (disabling the attacker’s capacity) and protect those under one’s charge, rather than acting from rage or cruelty.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna repeatedly striking Kṛṣṇa’s adversary; then Arjuna uses sharp, razor-like arrows to hit the opponent’s two raised arms as he brandishes a mace, attempting to check the mace-blows and safeguard Kṛṣṇa on the chariot.