Shloka 36
द्रौणिप्रतिज्ञा–नारायणास्त्रवर्णनम्
Drauṇi’s Vow and the Description of the Nārāyaṇāstra
प्रतिविन्ध्यं तु समरे कुर्वाणं कर्म दुष्करम् । दुःशासनस्त्रिभिर्बाणैर्ललाटे समविध्यत,समरांगणमें दुष्कर कर्म करनेवाले प्रतिविन्ध्यके ललाटमें दुःशासनने तीन बाण मारे
prativindhyaṁ tu samare kurvāṇaṁ karma duṣkaram | duḥśāsanas tribhir bāṇair lalāṭe samavidhyata ||
Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, as Prativindhya was performing a feat difficult to accomplish, Duḥśāsana struck him on the forehead with three arrows—an act that highlights the relentless, personal ferocity of the war, where valor is met not with restraint but with immediate counter-violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the harsh ethic of the battlefield: even exceptional valor (duṣkara karma) is immediately answered by force. It reflects the kṣatriya-world where courage and endurance are tested, and where moral restraint is often eclipsed by the momentum of war.
Sañjaya reports that Prativindhya is fighting fiercely and accomplishing a difficult exploit; Duḥśāsana counters by shooting him with three arrows, striking his forehead.