Shloka 40
द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata
स भीम॑ नवभिर्बाणैरश्वानष्टभितर्पयत्
sa bhīmaṁ navabhir bāṇair aśvān aṣṭabhir atarpayat
Sañjaya said: He struck Bhīma with nine arrows, and with eight more he pierced the horses—an act that shows the ruthless precision of battlefield skill, where even the means of movement and survival are deliberately targeted to weaken a formidable opponent.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of war: prowess is expressed not only by confronting the hero directly but also by disabling his support—here, the horses—showing how strategy and force operate within kṣatriya warfare even when it intensifies suffering.
Sañjaya reports that an unnamed warrior shoots Bhīma with nine arrows and then strikes the horses with eight arrows, aiming to weaken Bhīma’s mobility and combat effectiveness in the ongoing battle.