Shloka 8
दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra
स शरैश्षित्रितो राजा चित्रमाल्यधरो युवा । अशोभत महारज्जे श्वाविच्छललतो यथा,विचित्र माला धारण करनेवाले नवयुवक राजा चित्रसेन उन बाणोंसे चित्रित हो युद्धके महान् रंगस्थलमें काँटोंसे भरे हुए साहीके समान सुशोभित होने लगे
sa śaraiś citrito rājā citramālyadharo yuvā | aśobhat mahāraṅge śvāvichallalato yathā ||
Raja muda Citraseṇa, yang mengenakan untaian bunga beraneka warna, tampak seolah dilukis oleh anak panah; di panggung agung pertempuran ia bersinar laksana landak yang dipenuhi duri.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses vivid simile to show how warfare transforms beauty and youth into a grim display; it implicitly cautions that martial glory is inseparable from pain and the dehumanizing spectacle of injury.
Sañjaya describes a young king on the battlefield, his body covered with arrows so that he looks ‘painted’ by them, appearing like a porcupine bristling with quills amid the great battle-scene.