Shloka 33
दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra
स पपात तदा राजा तोमरेण समाहतः । प्रसार्य विपुलौ बाहू पीनौ परिघसंनिभौ,तोमरसे अत्यन्त आहत हो राजा चित्र अपनी परिघके समान मोटी और विशाल भुजाओंको फैलाकर तत्काल पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा
sa papāta tadā rājā tomareṇa samāhataḥ | prasārya vipulau bāhū pīnau parigha-sannibhau ||
Sañjaya said: Then the king, struck hard by a javelin, fell to the earth at once, flinging out his two broad arms—thick and massive like iron clubs—an image of royal might brought down by the ruthless logic of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the stark impermanence of power and the ethical gravity of warfare: even a mighty king, emblematic of strength, can be felled in an instant. It invites reflection on the cost of conflict and the limits of worldly might.
Sañjaya reports that a king has been struck by a tomara (javelin) and collapses to the ground, his arms spread out—described as huge and club-like—highlighting both his former strength and his sudden defeat on the battlefield.