Shloka 43
Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)
तस्मिन् मोहमनुप्राप्ते पुनरेव वृकोदर: । यन्तुरेव शिर: कायात् क्षुरप्रेणाहरत् तदा
tasmin moham anuprāpte punar eva vṛkodaraḥ | yantor eva śiraḥ kāyāt kṣurapreṇāharat tadā ||
Sañjaya said: When that man had fallen into a stupor, Vṛkodara once again struck—then and there he severed the charioteer’s head from his body with a razor-edged shaft. The scene underscores the ruthless momentum of battle, where a moment’s disorientation becomes fatal and violence proceeds without pause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the ethical world of epic warfare, a lapse into confusion (moha) can immediately invite destruction; it also reflects the relentless, uncompromising force associated with Bhīma (Vṛkodara) in battle, where action follows opportunity without hesitation.
Sañjaya reports that when the charioteer became bewildered or stunned, Bhīma struck again and severed the charioteer’s head from his body using a razor-edged missile/shaft (kṣurapra).