Shloka 20
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
नाराचैरर्धनाराचैर्बहुभि: क्षिप्रकारिभि: । वत्सदन्तैश्न बाणैश्ल कर्मारपरिमार्जिति:
nārācair ardhanārācair bahubhiḥ kṣiprakāribhiḥ | vatsadantaiś ca bāṇaiś ca karmāraparimārjitaiḥ ||
Sañjaya dijo: «Con muchas flechas de acción veloz—nārācas y medio-nārācas—y con astas “diente de ternero”, pulidas con esmero por el herrero, los guerreros empujaron la lucha hacia adelante».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare in the epic is not only about courage but also about preparation and skilled craftsmanship: weapons are described as swift and carefully finished, implying that human effort, training, and material readiness shape outcomes—raising ethical awareness of how refined means can intensify violence.
Sañjaya describes the battle scene by listing types of arrows being hurled in large numbers—nārācas, half-nārācas, and vatsadanta shafts—emphasizing their speed and the fact that they are expertly polished by smiths, conveying the ferocity and technical sophistication of the fighting.