Shloka 25
द्रोणनिन्दाश्रवणं तथा सात्यकि–पार्षतविवादः
Hearing the reproach of Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Pārṣata dispute
मद्रराजो महाराज विराटं वाहिनीपतिम् । आजमलछेने त्वरितस्तूर्ण शतेन नतपर्वणाम्,महाराज! मद्रराज शल्यने सेनापति राजा विराटको बड़ी उतावलीके साथ झुकी हुई गाँठवाले सौ बाण मारकर तुरंत घायल कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
madra-rājo mahārāja virāṭaṃ vāhinī-patim |
ājamalacchene tvaritas tūrṇaṃ śatena nataparvaṇām ||
Sanjaya said: O King, the ruler of Madra—Shalya—swiftly struck Virata, the commander of the host, at close quarters, quickly wounding him with a hundred arrows whose joints were bent (i.e., barbed/curved at the nodes), in the fierce press of battle. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of war, where even eminent leaders are rapidly brought down by concentrated force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the vulnerability of even high commanders in war and the ethical weight of kshatriya conflict: leadership entails exposure to danger, and battle rewards speed, focus, and concentrated effort—yet it also shows how quickly violence escalates and brings suffering.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Shalya, the king of Madra, rapidly attacks Virata—an army commander—and wounds him with a volley of a hundred arrows, describing a decisive moment amid the ongoing combat.