Shloka 303
भीमसेन–कर्णयुद्धवर्णनम्
Description of the Bhīmasena–Karṇa Engagement
शल्यस्य सशरं चापं मुष्टिदेशे व्यकृन्तत । कर्णको बारह और वृषसेनको तीन बाणोंसे घायल करके राजा शल्यके बाणसहित धनुषको मुद्दी पकड़नेकी जगहसे पुनः काट डाला
śalyasya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ muṣṭideśe vyakṛntata |
Sañjaya said: He cut down King Śalya’s bow together with the arrow set upon it, severing it at the grip—at the very place where the hand holds it. In the fierce ethics of battlefield skill, this act shows tactical mastery aimed at disarming a formidable opponent rather than merely wounding him.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid violent conflict, the narrative highlights a strategic ethic: neutralizing an enemy’s capacity to harm (by disarming) can be as decisive as inflicting injury, reflecting disciplined martial skill within kṣatriya-dharma.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior severs King Śalya’s bow at the handhold, cutting it along with the arrow, thereby disabling Śalya’s immediate ability to shoot.