Shloka 9
दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra
श्रुतकर्माणमथ वै नाराचेन स्तनान्तरे । बिभेद तरसा शूरस्तिष्ठ तिछेति चाब्रवीत्,तब उस शूरवीर नरेशने श्रुतकर्माकी छातीमें बड़े वेगसे नाराचका प्रहार किया और कहा--'खड़ा रह, खड़ा रह”
śrutakarmāṇam atha vai nārācena stanāntare | bibheda tarasā śūras tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt ||
Kemudian sang raja yang gagah berani menghantam Śrutakarman dengan anak panah nārāca tepat di antara dada, seraya berseru, “Berdirilah! Berdirilah!”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reflects the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma: a warrior challenges the opponent to stand firm and face combat directly. It highlights courage and steadfastness, even amid violence, as the expected conduct of fighters in a dharma-governed war.
Sañjaya reports that a heroic warrior shoots Śrutakarmā in the chest with a nārāca arrow and taunts him with the command “Stand! Stand!”, urging him not to flee and to continue the fight.