Shloka 16
द्रौणिप्रतिज्ञा–नारायणास्त्रवर्णनम्
Drauṇi’s Vow and the Description of the Nārāyaṇāstra
तावुभौ शरनुन्नाज़ौ शरकण्टकितौ रणे । व्यभ्राजेतां महाराज श्वाविधौ शललैरिव,महाराज! उन दोनोंके ही शरीर एक-दूसरेके बाणोंसे क्षत-विक्षत हो गये थे। वे दोनों ही बाणरूपी कंटकोंसे युक्त हो काँटोंसे भरे हुए दो साही नामक जन्तुओंके समान शोभित हो रहे थे
tāv ubhau śara-nunnāv śara-kaṇṭakitau raṇe | vyabhrājetāṃ mahārāja śvāvidhau śalalair iva ||
Wahai Raja! Keduanya, tertusuk dan terdorong oleh anak panah di medan perang, tubuhnya dipenuhi duri-panah, tampak berkilau laksana dua landak yang diselimuti duri.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of martial glory: warriors may 'shine' through steadfastness, yet the splendor is inseparable from pain inflicted and endured. It invites reflection on the cost of kṣatriya duty and the ethical weight of violence even when performed within dharma.
Sañjaya describes two opposing fighters in close combat, both riddled with each other’s arrows. Their bodies, studded with shafts, resemble two porcupines whose quills stand out, creating a vivid image of the battle’s intensity.