Shloka 24
Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation
सात्यकिप्रहितं शल्यो भल््लैश्वचिच्छेद तोमरम् । प्रहितं भीमसेनेन शरं कनकभूषणम्
sātyakiprahitaṃ śalyo bhallaiś cāciccheda tomaram | prahitaṃ bhīmasenena śaraṃ kanakabhūṣaṇam ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Śalya, con flechas agudas y barbadas, cercenó la jabalina que había arrojado Sātyaki; y también cortó la flecha adornada de oro que había disparado Bhīmasena. La escena subraya la destreza implacable de los guerreros en la batalla: allí el valor debe ir acompañado de vigilancia y maestría, y la intención por sí sola no garantiza el éxito en el caos de la guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic: valor must be joined with vigilance and technical mastery. In war, even well-aimed weapons can be neutralized by an opponent’s superior readiness, reminding the listener that outcomes depend on disciplined skill as much as intention.
During the combat, Śalya intercepts and cuts apart two incoming missiles: a javelin thrown by Sātyaki and a gold-adorned arrow shot by Bhīmasena, demonstrating his defensive prowess and the intensity of the exchange.