Shloka 28
भीष्म-युधिष्ठिर-संमर्दः
Bhīṣma’s Pressure on Yudhiṣṭhira; Śikhaṇḍī’s Approach; Evening Withdrawal
विकर्णस्य ततो भल््लान् प्रेषयामास भारत । चतुर्दश रथश्रेष्ठो घोरानाशीविषोपमान्
sañjaya uvāca | vikārṇasya tato bhallān preṣayāmāsa bhārata | caturdaśa rathaśreṣṭho ghorān āśīviṣopamān |
Sanjaya berkata: Kemudian, wahai Bharata, yang utama di antara para pejuang kereta, Abhimanyu, melepaskan empat belas anak panah bhalla yang mengerikan ke arah Vikarna, laksana ular berbisa.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma as disciplined courage and skill under extreme danger, while also underscoring the grave moral weight of war: prowess can be dazzling (‘as if dancing’), yet it is exercised through lethal acts that bring swift consequences to men and animals alike.
Abhimanyu, described as a foremost chariot-warrior, shoots fourteen terrifying bhalla-arrows at Vikarna. The attack disables Vikarna’s chariot by bringing down its banner, charioteer, and horses, while Abhimanyu maneuvers with striking agility in the midst of combat.