Shloka 18
कर्णार्जुनयुद्ध-प्रवृत्तिः
Renewal of the Karṇa–Arjuna Engagement at Day’s End
तथार्धचन्द्रेण शिरस्तस्य चिच्छेद पाण्डव: । स पपात हतो म्लेच्छस्तेनैव सह दन्तिना,तत्पश्चात् पाण्डुकुमार नकुलने एक अर्धचन्द्रके द्वारा अंगग़जका सिर काट लिया। इस प्रकार मारा गया म्लेच्छजातीय अंगराज अपने हाथीके साथ ही पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा
tathārdhacandreṇa śirastasya ciccheda pāṇḍavaḥ | sa papāta hato mlecchastenaiva saha dantinā |
Sañjaya said: Then the Pāṇḍava struck with a half-moon–shaped arrow and severed his head. Slain, that mleccha warrior fell to the earth together with his elephant.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the stark dharma of war: mastery and decisiveness determine survival, and in battle the consequences are immediate and irreversible. It also reflects how epic narration can mark opponents by social labels (e.g., ‘mleccha’), reminding readers to distinguish narrative convention from universal ethical judgment.
Sañjaya reports that a Pāṇḍava warrior uses an ardhacandra (crescent) arrow to behead an enemy described as a mleccha; the slain man collapses from his elephant, and both fall together.