Shloka 121
ततो<स्त्रमायया तूर्ण शरवृष्टिं निवार्य ताम् । धनुश्विच्छेद भीमस्य द्रोणपुत्रो महास्त्रवित्
tato 'stramāyayā tūrṇaṁ śaravṛṣṭiṁ nivārya tām | dhanuś ciccheda bhīmasya droṇaputro mahāstravit ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors, par un usage prompt de l’art des armes et d’une ruse tactique, le fils de Droṇa arrêta cette averse de flèches. L’ayant ainsi repoussée, le grand maître des traits trancha l’arc de Bhīma—un geste qui renverse l’équilibre du duel en désarmant plutôt qu’en blessant, et qui montre comment l’habileté guerrière peut neutraliser la force brute en un instant.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In battle, mastery and restraint can be more decisive than raw aggression: neutralizing an opponent’s attack and disarming him changes the course of conflict with minimal immediate bloodshed, illustrating the power—and moral ambiguity—of superior technique in kṣatriya warfare.
Bhīma unleashes a heavy shower of arrows. Aśvatthāman swiftly counters it through skilled weapon-technique, then severs Bhīma’s bow, effectively disarming him and gaining tactical advantage.