Shloka 38
त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः
Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya
छिन्नमाज्ञाय निस्त्रिंशमवप्लुत्य पदानि षट् । प्राविध्यत तत: शेषं सुतसोमो महारथ:,अपने उस खड्गको कटा हुआ जान महारथी सुतसोमने छ: पग ऊँचे उछलकर उसके शेष भागको ही शकुनिपर दे मारा
chinnam ājñāya nistriṁśam avaplutya padāni ṣaṭ | prāvidhyata tataḥ śeṣaṁ sutasomo mahārathaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Realizing that his sword had been cut, the great chariot-warrior Sutasoma sprang upward by six paces and then hurled the remaining fragment of the blade at Śakuni. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of battle: even when a weapon is broken, a kṣatriya’s resolve does not break, and presence of mind turns loss into immediate counteraction.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the dharma of warriors, courage is paired with alert intelligence: even when one’s weapon is damaged, one should not collapse into despair but respond decisively, converting setback into action while remaining steadfast in one’s chosen duty.
Sutasoma notices his sword has been cut. He leaps up six paces and, instead of retreating, throws the remaining piece of the sword at Śakuni, continuing the fight with improvised force.