Shloka 56
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
रथमारुरुहे वीरो धनंजयशरार्दित: । प्रगृह्य च धनु: श्रेष्ठ पार्थ विव्याध सायकै:,राजन्! उन भयंकर बाणोंसे घायल हुआ प्रतापी वीर द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामा समरांगणमें अमित बलशाली धृष्टद्यम्मको छोड़कर अपने रथपर जा चढ़ा। वह धनंजयके बाणोंसे अत्यन्त पीड़ित हो चुका था; इसलिये उसने भी श्रेष्ठ धनुष हाथमें लेकर बाणोंद्वारा अर्जुनको घायल कर दिया
ratham ārurohe vīro dhanañjaya-śarārditaḥ | pragṛhya ca dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ pārtho vivyādha sāyakaiḥ, rājan |
Sañjaya said: Wounded by Dhanañjaya’s arrows, the valiant warrior mounted his chariot again. Taking up his excellent bow, Pārtha (Arjuna) struck him with shafts, O King.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic: even when wounded, a warrior is expected to remount, take up arms, and respond. It implicitly shows how adherence to martial duty can perpetuate a relentless cycle of retaliation, raising ethical tension between duty (dharma) and the escalating harm of war.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior, badly hurt by Arjuna’s arrows, climbs back onto his chariot. Arjuna then takes his fine bow and pierces him again with arrows, continuing the exchange of missile combat in the ongoing Kurukṣetra battle.