Shloka 13
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
तत:ः शरशतैस्ती&णैर्मद्रराजो महारथ: । अर्दयामास तां सेनां धर्मराजस्य पश्यत:,तब महारथी मद्रराज धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरके देखते-देखते उनकी सेनाको अपने सैकड़ों तीखे बाणोंसे संतप्त करने लगे
tataḥ śaraśatais tīkṣṇair madrarājo mahārathaḥ | ardayāmāsa tāṃ senāṃ dharmarājasya paśyataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then the king of Madra, a great chariot-warrior, with hundreds of sharp arrows, began to harass and scorch that army—while Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira looked on. The scene underscores the harsh momentum of battle, where prowess and strategy press upon the righteous king’s forces, testing resolve and leadership amid adharma-driven violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: even a righteous ruler (Dharmarāja) must witness his forces being overwhelmed by an opponent’s martial excellence. It points to the responsibility of leadership in adversity and the reality that dharma is tested amid relentless violence.
Sañjaya reports that the Madra king Śalya, an elite chariot-warrior, showers Yudhiṣṭhira’s army with hundreds of sharp arrows, severely harassing it, and does so openly while Yudhiṣṭhira watches.