Shloka 32
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
पूर्णायतविसृष्टेन क्षुरेण निशितेन च । ध्वजमेकेन चिच्छेद भीमसेनस्य पत्रिणा,फिर धनुषको पूरी तरहसे खींचकर छोड़े हुए एक पंखयुक्त तीखे बाणसे भीमसेनकी ध्वजा काट डाली
pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena kṣureṇa niśitena ca | dhvajam ekena ciccheda bhīmasenasya patriṇā ||
Sañjaya dit : D’une flèche acérée au tranchant de rasoir—bandée à pleine tension, lâchée avec force, et pourvue d’ailes pour un vol rapide—il trancha d’un seul trait l’étendard de Bhīmasena. Dans l’atmosphère morale de la guerre, l’acte ne marque pas seulement la prouesse, mais une atteinte délibérée au symbole d’honneur et de courage de l’adversaire, attisant la lutte des esprits qui accompagne le combat réputé juste.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, actions carry symbolic weight: striking a banner targets an opponent’s honor and morale, showing that conflict involves ethical restraint, reputation, and psychological pressure alongside physical force.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior (implied from context) shoots a fully drawn, razor-edged, winged arrow and, with a single shot, cuts down Bhīma’s standard—an emphatic display of precision meant to unsettle the opposing side.