Shloka 173
भीमसेनस्य वेगाभिपातः—विशोकसारथिसंवादश्च
Bhīma’s surge and dialogue with charioteer Viśoka
श्रुतकीर्तेस्तथा चापं चिच्छेद निशितै: शरैः । फिर श्रुतकीर्तिको नौ
śrutakīrtes tathā cāpaṃ ciccheda niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ |
Sañjaya dit : De flèches acérées comme des rasoirs, il trancha aussi l’arc de Śrutakīrti. Dans le même élan de combat, il frappa Śrutakīrti de neuf flèches, Sutasoma de cinq, Śrutakarman de huit, Prativindhya de trois, Śatānīka de neuf, et Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira de cinq ; et les autres héros, de deux flèches chacun. La scène met à nu la mécanique implacable de la guerre : la prouesse ne se dit pas, elle se prouve en brisant l’arme de l’adversaire et en entamant, coup après coup, même les plus grands guerriers.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic typical of kṣatriya-dharma: victory is pursued through skill and tactical disabling (cutting the bow), yet the narration also invites reflection on the tragic inevitability of harm in war, where even righteous figures are subjected to violence.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior (implied by context) uses sharp arrows to sever Śrutakīrti’s bow and then showers multiple named Pāṇḍava-side heroes—Śrutakīrti, Sutasoma, Śrutakarman, Prativindhya, Śatānīka, and Yudhiṣṭhira—with specified numbers of arrows, while striking other warriors as well.