चिच्छेद तन्महच्छूलं तेन बाणेन वेगवान् । उत्पपात द्विधा च्छिन्नं शूलं हेमपरिष्कृतम्
ciccheda tanmahatśūlaṃ tena bāṇena vegavān | utpapāta dvidhā cchinnaṃ śūlaṃ hemapariṣkṛtam ||
Sañjaya said: With that swift arrow, the valiant warrior cut down that great spear. Split into two, the gold-adorned weapon sprang upward, severed in mid-flight—an image of skill and resolve prevailing over brute force amid the moral strain of war.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights disciplined prowess and presence of mind in battle: force alone is not decisive; trained skill and timely action can neutralize even a formidable threat. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such prowess is tied to kṣatriya-dharma—competence and courage exercised within the harsh necessities of war.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior, described as swift/valiant, strikes a great gold-decorated spear with an arrow and cuts it in two. The severed halves spring upward, indicating the weapon was intercepted mid-course and rendered ineffective.