Shloka 11
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
तत: शल्यो महाराज धृष्टद्युम्नस्य संयुगे । धनुश्चिच्छेद भल्लेन पीतेन निशितेन च,महाराज! तदनन्तर राजा शल्यने युद्धसस््थलमें शाणपर तीक्ष्ण किये हुए पीले रंगके भल्ल नामक बाणसे धृष्टद्युम्नका धनुष काट दिया
tataḥ śalyo mahārāja dhṛṣṭadyumnasya saṁyuge | dhanuś ciccheda bhallena pītena niśitena ca ||
Sañjaya said: Then, O great king, in the thick of battle Śalya severed Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s bow with a sharp, yellow-hued bhalla arrow. The episode underscores the ruthless precision of war, where disabling an opponent’s weapon is a strategic act that shifts the balance without immediately taking life.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic of strategic restraint and skill: rather than immediately aiming to kill, a warrior may neutralize an opponent by disabling weapons, demonstrating tactical intelligence within kṣatriya conduct.
During the battle, Śalya shoots a sharpened bhalla arrow that cuts Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s bow, temporarily disarming him and altering the immediate flow of combat.