Shloka 86
द्रोणकर्णयोः निशि संप्रहारः — Night Engagement with Droṇa and Karṇa
शारद्वतस्तु विंशत्या वासुदेवं समार्पयत् । धनंजयं द्वादशशभिराजघान शिलीमुखै:
śāradvatastu viṁśatyā vāsudevaṁ samārpayat | dhanaṁjayaṁ dvādaśabhir ājaghāna śilīmukhaiḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Śāradvata (Kṛpa) lança alors vingt flèches contre Vāsudeva, et de douze traits acérés il frappa Dhanañjaya (Arjuna). Le récit souligne la sombre réciprocité du combat : même les plus vénérés deviennent des cibles, et la prouesse se mesure à la retenue, à la justesse du tir et à la constance au milieu d’une violence qui s’exacerbe.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh impartiality of war: status and sanctity do not shield anyone from attack. Ethically, it points to the tension between kṣatriya duty (fighting with skill and resolve) and the moral cost of escalating violence, where even revered leaders become direct targets.
Sañjaya narrates that Śāradvata (Kṛpa) shoots twenty arrows at Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) and then strikes Arjuna with twelve arrows, describing a rapid exchange of missile warfare in the Drona Parva battle.