Shloka 2
नाकुलिकश्रित्रसेनं तु विदृध्वा पजचभिराशुगै: । सतुतंप्रतिविव्याध दशभिर्निशितै: शरैः,शतानीकने चित्रसेनको पाँच बाण मारे। चित्रसेनने भी दस पैने बाण मारकर बदला चुकाया
nākulikāśritrasenaṃ tu viddhvā pañcabhir āśugaiḥ | śatānīkaṃ ca citrasenaḥ pratyavidhyad daśabhir niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Having pierced Nakula’s ally Śritrasena with five swift arrows, Citrāsena then struck back at Śatānīka, wounding him with ten razor‑sharp shafts. Thus, in the heat of battle, each warrior answered injury with injury, escalating the cycle of retaliation that drives the war’s violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare tends to operate through immediate counterblows—harm answered by harm—showing the ethical tension between kṣatriya valor (meeting attack with response) and the tragic momentum of escalating violence.
Citrāsena first wounds Śritrasena (connected with Nakula) with five swift arrows; then he retaliates against Śatānīka by striking him with ten sharp arrows, continuing the exchange of missile combat.