Shloka 15
अथीैनं छिन्नधन्वानं शरैर्बहुभिसचिनोत् । निर्भिन्निश्न शरैस्तेन द्विषता क्षिप्रकारिणा
athainaṁ chinnadhanvānaṁ śarair bahubhir acinot | nirbhinnaḥ śarais tena dviṣatā kṣiprakāriṇā ||
Sanjaya said: Then, after his bow had been cut down, he was quickly covered with many arrows. Pierced through by those shafts, he suffered at the hands of that swift-acting foe—an image of how, in battle, a moment’s loss of weapon and composure can invite relentless assault.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores battlefield ethics and realism: when a warrior is disarmed (bow cut), the opponent may press the advantage swiftly. It highlights vigilance and preparedness as part of kṣatriya-dharma, while also portraying the harsh, escalating nature of war.
After a combatant’s bow is severed, the opposing warrior rapidly showers him with many arrows, leaving him pierced and overwhelmed—Sanjaya describing a sudden turn in the duel due to disarmament and the foe’s quick action.