Shloka 8
Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ
Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements
स समासाद्य राजान क्षेमधूर्ति महाबलम् । सप्तभिर्निशितैर्बाणैरनयद् यमसादनम्,उन्होंने आते ही महाबली राजा क्षेमधूर्तिको सात पैने बाणोंसे मारकर यमलोक पहुँचा दिया
sa samāsādya rājānaṁ kṣemadhūrtiṁ mahābalam | saptabhir niśitair bāṇair anayad yamasādanam ||
Sañjaya said: Closing in upon the mighty king Kṣemadhūrti, he struck him with seven razor-sharp arrows and sent him to Yama’s abode—thus ending his life on the battlefield in the relentless course of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the stark moral atmosphere of Kurukṣetra: in war, especially kṣatriya-conflict, death comes swiftly through skill and force, reminding the listener of life’s fragility and the inexorable reach of Yama (mortality).
Sañjaya reports that a warrior (implied from the prior context) advances on King Kṣemadhūrti and kills him with seven sharp arrows, metaphorically described as sending him to Yama’s dwelling—i.e., causing his death.