Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya
Book 8, Chapter 22
ततो बाणांश्षतुःषष्टिं तव पुत्रो महारणे | सहदेवरथं तूर्ण प्रेषयामास भारत,भारत! इतनेहीमें आपके पुत्रने उस महासमरमें सहदेवपर तुरंत ही चौंसठ बाण चलाये
tato bāṇān ṣaṭ-ṣaṣṭiṁ tava putro mahāraṇe | sahadeva-rathaṁ tūrṇaṁ preṣayāmāsa bhārata ||
Kemudian, wahai Bhārata, dalam pertempuran besar itu putramu dengan cepat melepaskan enam puluh empat anak panah ke arah kereta Sahadeva.
संजय उवाच
The verse primarily functions as battlefield reportage, highlighting the disciplined, rapid execution of a warrior’s attack. Ethically, it sits within the Mahābhārata’s larger tension: kṣatriya duty and skill are displayed amid a fratricidal war whose righteousness is contested.
Sañjaya tells Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son quickly shoots sixty-four arrows at Sahadeva’s chariot during the great battle, indicating an intense exchange and an attempt to check or damage Sahadeva’s mobility and position.