Shloka 236
Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)
धनुरेकेन चिच्छेद हसन् राजन् महारथ: । राजन्! तब महारथी कृतवर्माने अत्यन्त कुपित हो साठ बाणोंसे शिखण्डीको घायल करके एकसे हँसते-हँसते उसका धनुष काट डाला
sañjaya uvāca | dhanur ekena ciccheda hasan rājan mahārathaḥ |
Sanjaya said: O King, the great chariot-warrior, smiling, severed (his opponent’s) bow with a single arrow—an act that displays both battlefield mastery and the ruthless efficiency of war, where skill is used to disable an enemy’s capacity to fight rather than merely to wound.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the dharma of battle, superior skill is often expressed by disabling an opponent’s means of combat (here, cutting the bow). The warrior’s smile underscores confidence and the psychological dimension of warfare, while also reminding the listener that war can normalize harsh acts when framed as duty.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a great warrior, in the midst of combat, cuts an enemy’s bow with a single arrow while smiling—signaling dominance and immediately reducing the opponent’s fighting capability.