Shloka 121
ततो<स्त्रमायया तूर्ण शरवृष्टिं निवार्य ताम् । धनुश्विच्छेद भीमस्य द्रोणपुत्रो महास्त्रवित्
tato 'stramāyayā tūrṇaṁ śaravṛṣṭiṁ nivārya tām | dhanuś ciccheda bhīmasya droṇaputro mahāstravit ||
Sañjaya said: Then, by the swift use of weapon-craft and tactical illusion, Droṇa’s son checked that shower of arrows. Having thus warded it off, the great master of missiles cut down Bhīma’s bow—an act that shifts the balance of the duel by disarming rather than merely wounding, and shows how skill in war can neutralize brute force in a moment.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In battle, mastery and restraint can be more decisive than raw aggression: neutralizing an opponent’s attack and disarming him changes the course of conflict with minimal immediate bloodshed, illustrating the power—and moral ambiguity—of superior technique in kṣatriya warfare.
Bhīma unleashes a heavy shower of arrows. Aśvatthāman swiftly counters it through skilled weapon-technique, then severs Bhīma’s bow, effectively disarming him and gaining tactical advantage.