Shloka 140
अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च
Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter
ध्वजं छत्रं पताकाश्न खड्गं शक्ति गदां तथा । जन्रुदेशे च सुभृशं वत्सदन्तैरताडयत्,भगवान् श्रीकृष्णके ऐसा कहनेपर अर्जुनने चौदह भल्ल हाथमें लेकर शीघ्रता करनेके अवसरपर फुर्ती दिखायी और अअश्वत्थामाके धनुषको काट डाला। साथ ही उसके ध्वज, छत्र, पताका, खड्ग, शक्ति और गदाके भी टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर दिये। तदनन्तर अश्व॒त्थामाके गलेकी हँसलीपर “वत्सदन्त” नामक बाणोंद्वारा गहरी चोट पहुँचायी
dhvajaṁ chatraṁ patākāś ca khaḍgaṁ śaktiṁ gadāṁ tathā | grīvā-deśe ca subhṛśaṁ vatsadantair atāḍayat ||
Sañjaya said: Arjuna shattered Aśvatthāman’s battle-ensign, parasol, and banners, and likewise broke his sword, spear, and mace into pieces. Then, striking fiercely at the region of his neck with the arrows called “Vatsadanta,” he inflicted a deep wound—showing swift mastery in war, intent on disabling the foe rather than indulging in needless cruelty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid battle, strength is ideally governed by restraint and purpose: Arjuna’s action emphasizes disabling an opponent by breaking weapons and symbols of power, rather than pursuing gratuitous harm—an application of kṣatriya-dharma where force is used decisively but with an ethical aim.
Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna rapidly destroys Aśvatthāman’s martial equipment—ensign, parasol, banners, sword, spear, and mace—and then delivers a powerful strike to the neck-region using ‘Vatsadanta’ arrows, leaving Aśvatthāman wounded and effectively checked in combat.