Shloka 42
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
क्षुरै: क्षुरप्रैर्भल्लैश्व पीतैश्वाउजलिकै: शितै: । व्यहरन्नुत्तमाज़ानि पाण्डवा गजयोधिनाम्,पाण्डव रथी क्षुर, क्षुरप्र, पीले रंगके भलल्ल तथा तीखे आंजलिक नामक बाणोंद्वारा हाथीसवार योद्धाओंके मस्तक काट-काटकर गिराने लगे
kṣuraiḥ kṣuraprair bhallaiś ca pītaiś cāñjalikaiḥ śitaiḥ | vyaharan uttamāṅgāni pāṇḍavā gajayodhinām ||
Sañjaya said: With razor-edged shafts, kṣurapra arrows, yellow-hued bhalla darts, and sharp āñjalika missiles, the Pāṇḍava warriors struck down the foremost parts—severing the heads—of the elephant-mounted fighters. The scene underscores the grim ethic of battlefield duty: in the press of war, skill and resolve are turned toward decisive, lethal blows, even as the narrator records the terrible cost of kṣatriya conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in war: martial excellence is exercised toward decisive outcomes, yet the narration implicitly reminds the listener of the grave human cost and the moral weight carried by those who fight.
Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava fighters, using several named types of sharp arrows, are cutting down elephant-mounted warriors by striking and severing their heads.