Shloka 9
Pāṇḍya-vadha-anantaram Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ
Arjuna’s Response and the Renewed Battle
चर्माणि वर्माणि मनोरमाणि प्रियाणि सर्वाणि शिरांसि चैव । चिच्छेद पार्थों द्विषतां सुयुक्त- बणि: स्थितानामपराड्मुखानाम्
carmāṇi varmāṇi manoramāṇi priyāṇi sarvāṇi śirāṃsi caiva | ciccheda pārtho dviṣatāṃ suyukta-bāṇiḥ sthitānām aparāṅmukhānām ||
Sañjaya said: Then Pārtha (Arjuna), whose arrows were expertly set and unfailingly aimed, cut down the enemies who stood facing him without turning their backs—splitting their shields and splendid armor, their cherished possessions, and even their heads.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic: opponents who do not flee (aparāṅmukha) are acknowledged as standing courageously, yet the warrior’s duty still drives decisive action. It reflects kṣatriya-dharma—valor, steadfastness, and lethal competence—while implicitly reminding the reader of war’s harsh moral cost.
Sañjaya narrates Arjuna’s onslaught: with expertly aimed arrows he severs the enemies’ defenses (shields, armor) and even their heads, emphasizing both Arjuna’s prowess and the intensity of the fighting in the Karṇa Parva.