Shloka 17
अध्याय ५३ — रणमेघोपमा सेना-वर्णना तथा सुषेण-वधोत्तर प्रतिक्रिया
Battle-as-Storm Imagery and the Aftermath of Suṣeṇa’s Fall
शिखण्डिनस्ततो बाणान् कृप: शारद्वतो युधि । प्राहिणोत् त्वरया युक्तो दिधक्षुरिव मारिष,मान्यवर! शरद्वानके पुत्र कृपाचार्य युद्धस्थलमें, मानो वे शिखण्डीको दग्ध कर डालना चाहते हों, बड़ी उतावलीके साथ उसके ऊपर बाण चलाये
śikhaṇḍinas tato bāṇān kṛpaḥ śāradvato yudhi | prāhiṇot tvarayā yukto didhakṣur iva māriṣa ||
સંજય બોલ્યા—માન્યવર! ત્યારબાદ શારદ્વત કૃપાચાર્યે યુદ્ધમાં શિખંડી પર ઉતાવળે બાણો છોડ્યા, જાણે તેને દગ્ધ કરી નાખવા ઇચ્છતા હોય।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the uncompromising momentum of dharma-as-duty in war: a veteran like Kṛpa, bound to his side and role, acts with decisive force. It also reflects how strategic enmities and reputations (Śikhaṇḍin’s significance in the wider conflict) intensify actions, raising implicit questions about proportionality and the moral weight of battlefield necessity.
Sañjaya reports that Kṛpa Śāradvata, in the thick of combat, rapidly shoots arrows at Śikhaṇḍin, described with a simile—‘as if wishing to burn him’—to convey speed, anger, and lethal intent.