Shloka 55
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
स विद्धस्तै: शरैघरिद्रोंणपुत्र: प्रतापवान् उत्सृज्य समरे राजन् पाज्चाल्यममितौजसम्
sa viddhais taiḥ śarair ghorair droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān utsṛjya samare rājan pāñcālyam amitaujasam | rājan! tān bhayaṅkarabāṇair āhataḥ pratāpī vīro droṇaputro 'śvatthāmā samarāṅgaṇe amitabalavān dhṛṣṭadyumnam utsṛjya svārathaṃ samāruhya | sa dhanañjayabāṇair atyantaṃ pīḍitaḥ; tasmād so 'pi śreṣṭhadhanur gṛhītvā bāṇair arjunaṃ vyathayām āsa ||
Sañjaya dit : Ô roi, le vaillant fils de Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā, transpercé par ces flèches terribles, se retira au cœur de la mêlée, laissant le puissant guerrier pāñcāla Dhṛṣṭadyumna. Montant sur son propre char, tourmenté par les traits de Dhanañjaya, il saisit son arc d’élite et, en retour, blessa Arjuna sous une grêle de flèches.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the self-perpetuating cycle of violence in war: being wounded leads to retaliation. It reflects the kṣatriya battlefield code where endurance and counter-attack are expected, while also implicitly showing how conflict escalates through reciprocal harm.
Aśvatthāmā, badly struck by Arjuna’s arrows, disengages from Dhṛṣṭadyumna and returns to his chariot. Despite his pain, he takes up his bow and shoots back, wounding Arjuna with arrows.