Shloka 8
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु शल्येन पीडितो नवभि: शरै: । पीडयामास संक्रुद्धो मद्राधिपतिमायसै:,शल्यके बाणोंसे पीड़ित होकर धृष्टद्युम्न अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठे और उन्होंने लोहेके बने हुए नौ बाणोंसे मद्रराज शल्यको गहरी पीड़ा पहुँचायी
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu śalyena pīḍito navabhiḥ śaraiḥ | pīḍayāmāsa saṅkruddho madrādhipatim āyasaiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Struck and pained by Śalya’s arrows, Dhṛṣṭadyumna flared up in wrath and, with nine iron-shafted arrows, inflicted sharp suffering upon Śalya, the lord of Madra—showing how, in the heat of battle, injury quickly turns into retaliatory violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical tension in the epic: in war, personal pain and anger can rapidly drive retaliation. It implicitly cautions that unchecked wrath (krodha) intensifies violence, even when one is acting within the battlefield duties of a kṣatriya.
During the Kurukṣetra battle, Śalya wounds Dhṛṣṭadyumna with nine arrows. Provoked and enraged, Dhṛṣṭadyumna responds by shooting nine iron arrows at Śalya, causing him severe pain.