Shloka 21
भीमसेन-धृष्टद्युम्नयोर्वाक्यं
Bhīmasena and Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s Speeches on Kṣātra-Dharma
स शरैराचितस्तेन राक्षसो रणमूर्थनि
sa śarair āchitas tena rākṣaso raṇamūrdhani
Sañjaya said: On the very forefront of the battlefield, that rākṣasa was covered over with arrows by him—an image of relentless martial pressure, where prowess and resolve manifest through disciplined, targeted force amid the chaos of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of sustained resolve and effective action: in war, outcomes turn on disciplined execution (here, concentrated archery) rather than mere fury. It also underscores the grim reality that even formidable opponents are overcome through persistent, skillful effort.
Sañjaya describes a rākṣasa-warrior at the very front of the fighting being densely struck and covered with arrows by an unnamed combatant, indicating an intense exchange where the rākṣasa is being overwhelmed by missile fire.