Shloka 2
Jayadrathasya varaprāptiḥ (जयद्रथस्य वरप्राप्तिः) — Jayadratha’s boon and the restraint of the Pāṇḍava advance
सो<विध्यद् दशभिर्बाणैरभिमन्युं दुरासदम् । सच्छत्रध्वजयन्तारं साश्वमाशु स्मयन्निव,उसने मुसकराते हुए-से दस बाण मारकर दुर्जय वीर अभिमन्युको छत्र, ध्वजा, सारथि और घोड़ोंसहित शीघ्र ही घायल कर दिया
so ’vidhyad daśabhir bāṇair abhimanyuṃ durāsadam | sacchatradhvajayantāraṃ sāśvam āśu smayann iva ||
Sañjaya said: Smiling as if in contempt, he swiftly pierced the hard-to-overcome Abhimanyu with ten arrows, wounding him along with his parasol and banner, his charioteer, and his horses—an image of how, in war, prowess is often displayed through the humiliation of an opponent’s royal insignia as much as through bodily injury.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical tension in the epic: martial skill in war is not only about defeating an enemy but also about breaking morale by damaging symbols of sovereignty (parasol, banner) and disabling support systems (charioteer, horses). It implicitly critiques the pride and derision that can accompany violence.
In the battle report given by Sañjaya, a warrior (contextually, an opponent of Abhimanyu) rapidly shoots ten arrows at Abhimanyu, injuring him and simultaneously striking his royal emblems, his charioteer, and his horses, suggesting a coordinated attempt to cripple his chariot and status on the field.