Shloka 16
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
नकुलं त्वभिसंधाय क्षेमड्करमहामुखौ । उभावुभयतस्तीकणै: शरवर्षैरवर्षताम्,दूसरी ओर क्षेमंकर और महामुख नामक दो वीर (राजकुमार) नकुलको लक्ष्य करके दोनों ओरसे तीखे बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे
nakulaṁ tv abhisandhāya kṣemaṅkara-mahāmukhau | ubhāv ubhayatas tīkṣṇaiḥ śaravarṣair avarṣatām ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Aiming at Nakula, the two warriors—Kṣemaṅkara and Mahāmukha—rained down showers of sharp arrows from both sides.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the uncompromising reality of kṣatriya-conflict: once battle is joined, opponents employ strategy and coordinated force. Ethically, it points to the tension between valor and violence—martial duty (kṣatriya-dharma) demands steadfastness, yet the narrative invites reflection on the cost of such relentless aggression.
Two named warriors, Kṣemaṅkara and Mahāmukha, coordinate their attack on Nakula. Positioning themselves so as to strike from both sides, they unleash continuous volleys of sharp arrows, intensifying the pressure on Nakula in the ongoing combat episode.