Shloka 16
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 109 — Karṇa–Bhīma Yuddha and Durmukha’s Fall (कर्णभीमयुद्धम्; दुर्मुखवधः)
तां तु शक्ति महावीर्या दोर्भ्यामायम्य भारत । चिक्षेप सहसा यत्तो वीरधन्वरथं प्रति,भारत! उस अत्यन्त प्रबल शक्तिको दोनों हाथोंसे उठाकर यत्नशील धृष्टकेतुने सहसा वीरधन्वाके रथपर उसे दे मारा
tāṃ tu śaktiṃ mahāvīryā dorbhyām āyamya bhārata | cikṣepa sahasā yatto vīradhanvasya rathaṃ prati ||
Sañjaya said: O Bhārata, drawing back with both arms that mighty, power-laden spear, he—straining with intent—hurled it in a sudden cast straight toward the chariot of Vīradhanvas. The scene underscores the war’s relentless escalation, where prowess and resolve are pressed into lethal action, and ethical judgment is tested amid the urgency of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the crucible of war, personal valor and determination drive decisive action; yet such power is ethically charged, reminding readers that martial skill (vīrya) must be weighed against the broader dharmic cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior, after drawing back a powerful spear with both arms, suddenly hurls it toward the chariot of Vīradhanvas—an immediate, forceful missile attack within the ongoing battle.