Shloka 12
न सूची कपिशो नैव न गवास्थिर्गजास्थिज: । इषुरासीन्न संश्लिष्टो न पूतिन्न च जिह्यग:,न सूची*, न कपिश”, न गायकी* हड्डीका बना हुआ, न हाथीकी* हड्डीका बना हुआ, न दो फलों या काँटोंवाला, न दुर्गन्न्धयुक्त और न जिह्ाग (टेढ़ा जानेवाला) बाण ही काममें लाया जाता था
sañjaya uvāca |
na sūcī kapiśo naiva na gavāsthir gajāsthijaḥ |
iṣur āsīn na saṃśliṣṭo na pūtir na ca jihvagaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: In that battle, no arrow was employed that was needle-tipped, nor one made of monkey-bone, nor fashioned from cow-bone or elephant-bone; nor was any arrow used that was jointed or composite, foul-smelling, or crooked in its flight. The description underscores a restraint in the choice of weapons—rejecting cruel, deceptive, or impure missiles even amid the ferocity of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, conduct is bounded by dharma: weapons associated with cruelty, deception, or impurity are rejected, implying that victory should not be pursued through ignoble means.
Sañjaya describes the nature of the missiles used in the fighting, emphasizing that certain objectionable kinds of arrows—needle-tipped, bone-made, composite/jointed, foul, or crooked—were not employed.