Shloka 35
Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)
द्रोणश्न विवरं दृष्टवा भीमसेनं शिलीमुखै: । विव्याध बाणैर्निशितै: पञठचषष्टिभिरायसै:
sañjaya uvāca | droṇas tu vivaraṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenaṃ śilimukhaiḥ | vivyādha bāṇair niśitaiḥ pañcaṣaṣṭibhir āyasaiḥ | ekaikaṃ tribhir ānarcchet kaṅkubārhiṇavājitaiḥ |
संजय बोले—द्रोणाचार्य ने अवसर देखकर भीमसेन को लोहे के बने पैसठ तीखे शिलीमुख बाणों से बींध डाला। फिर कङ्क पक्षी के पंखों से युक्त बाणों द्वारा वह अन्य योद्धाओं को भी तीन-तीन बाणों से एक-एक करके घायल करने लगा।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, mastery and alertness exploit even a small ‘vivara’ (opening). It implicitly warns that power and skill, when yoked to conflict, intensify suffering; therefore discernment about the causes and conduct of war remains ethically significant even amid kṣatriya duty.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa notices a vulnerability and showers Bhīma with sixty-five sharp iron arrows, then strikes other warriors individually with three arrows each, using feather-adorned shafts—depicting Droṇa’s tactical precision and dominance in the battle moment.