Shloka 256
त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः
Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya
प्रममाथ शरांस्तस्य शरव्रातैर्महायशा: । उसके बाणसमूह टिड्डीदलोंके समान जान पड़ते थे। उन्हें अपने रथके समीप देखकर भी महारथी सुबलपुत्र शकुनिके मनमें तनिक भी व्यथा नहीं हुई। उस महायशस्वी वीरने अपने बाणसमूहोंद्वारा सुतसोमके सारे बाणोंको पूर्णतया मथ डाला
pramamātha śarāṁs tasya śaravrātair mahāyaśāḥ |
Sañjaya said: The illustrious warrior shattered his opponent’s arrows with volleys of his own. Though the mass of arrows near his chariot looked like swarms of locusts, the great chariot-fighter Śakuni, son of Subala, felt not the slightest distress; with his arrow-clusters he completely crushed all of Sutasoma’s missiles.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the battlefield ethic of the epic, a warrior’s steadiness is tested amid overwhelming danger; Śakuni’s lack of agitation and his effective counter-volley exemplify composure and tactical mastery under pressure.
During the Karṇa Parva battle, Śakuni confronts Sutasoma. Seeing dense arrow-showers near his chariot, Śakuni remains untroubled and destroys Sutasoma’s incoming arrows by striking them down with his own volleys.