Shloka 23
द्रौणिप्रतिज्ञा–नारायणास्त्रवर्णनम्
Drauṇi’s Vow and the Description of the Nārāyaṇāstra
द्रपदस्तु ततः क्रुद्धो वृषसेनस्य कार्मुकम् । द्विधा चिच्छेद भललेन पीतेन निशितेन च,कार्मुके योजयित्वा त॑ द्रुपदं संनिरीक्ष्य च आकर्णपूर्ण मुमुचे त्रासयन् सर्वसोमकान् तब उसने सोनेसे मढ़े हुए दूसरे नवीन एवं सुदृढ़ धनुषको हाथमें लेकर तरकशसे एक चमचमाता हुआ पानीदार, तीखा और मजबूत भल्ल निकाला। उसे धनुषपर रखा और कानतक खींचकर समस्त सोमकोंको भयभीत करते हुए वृषसेनने राजा ट्रुपदको लक्ष्य करके वह भल्ल्ल छोड़ दिया
sañjaya uvāca | drupadas tu tataḥ kruddho vṛṣasenasyakārmukam | dvidhā ciccheda bhallena pītena niśitena ca | kārmuke yojayitvā taṁ drupadaṁ saṁnirīkṣya ca | ākarṇapūrṇaṁ mumuce trāsayan sarvasomakān ||
Sanjaya said: Then King Drupada, enraged, split Vṛṣasena’s bow in two with a sharp, gold-adorned bhalla-arrow. Thereupon Vṛṣasena, fixing another bow, took aim at Drupada; drawing the string back to his ear, he released his arrow, terrifying all the Somakas. The passage highlights how anger and retaliation escalate the violence of battle, as each strike immediately provokes a counterstrike that spreads fear through the ranks.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how anger (krodha) in war fuels an immediate cycle of retaliation: one violent act provokes another, and the consequences spread beyond the target by generating fear and instability among allied troops.
Drupada, enraged, severs Vṛṣasena’s bow with a sharp bhalla-arrow. Vṛṣasena quickly takes another bow, aims at Drupada, draws to full length (to the ear), and shoots, frightening the Somaka forces.