Shloka 28
अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः
Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces
आर्य! दुःशासनने भी उसकी बायीं भुजाको बींध डाला। भारत! सुनहरे पंख और झुकी हुई गाँठवाले भल्लसे घायल हुए अमर्षशील धृष्टद्युम्नने अत्यन्त कुपित हो दुःशासनपर एक भयंकर बाण चलाया ।।
sañjaya uvāca | ārya! duḥśāsanena bhīmasya bāyūṃ bhujāṃ viddhā | bhārata! suvarṇapakṣa-jhukanāla-bhallaiḥ kṣataḥ amarṣaśīlo dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ atyantaṃ kupito duḥśāsanaṃ prati ekaṃ bhayaṅkaraṃ bāṇaṃ mumoca || āpatantaṃ mahāvegaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumna-samīritam | śaraiś ciccheda putras te tribhir eva viśāṃpate || prajānātha! dhṛṣṭadyumnena kṣiptaṃ taṃ bhayaṅkara-vegaśālinaṃ bāṇam āgacchantaṃ dṛṣṭvā tava putraḥ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ eva taṃ chittvā nyapātayat ||
Sañjaya said: O noble one, Duḥśāsana pierced his left arm. O descendant of Bharata, the hot-blooded Dhṛṣṭadyumna—wounded by broad-headed arrows with golden wings and bent shafts—blazed with anger and loosed a terrible arrow at Duḥśāsana. But as that swift, forceful missile came rushing in, your son, O lord of the people, cut it down with just three arrows.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (amarṣa) fuels escalation in conflict, while disciplined vigilance and skill can restrain immediate harm. In the ethical frame of the Mahābhārata, even rightful retaliation in war carries the danger of being driven by rage rather than measured duty.
Duḥśāsana strikes Bhīma’s left arm. Dhṛṣṭadyumna, already wounded by bhalla arrows, becomes furious and shoots a terrifying, high‑speed arrow at Duḥśāsana. Seeing it coming, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana) intercepts and cuts that arrow down with three arrows.