Shloka 26
प्रत्याश्व॒स्य च दुर्धर्ष.: सहदेवो विशाम्पते,प्रजानाथ! इतनेहीमें स्वस्थ होकर दुर्धर्ष वीर सहदेवने हँसते हुए-से दस बाणोंसे शकुनिको बींध डाला और तीन बाणोंसे उसके घोड़ोंको मारकर हँसते हुए-से अनेक बाणोंद्वारा सुबलपुत्रके धनुषको भी टूक-टूक कर डाला
pratyāśvasya ca durdharṣaḥ sahadevo viśāmpate prajānātha itanehīme svasthaḥ kṛtvā durdharṣo vīraḥ sahadevaḥ hasann iva daśabhir bāṇaiḥ śakunim avidhyat, tribhiś ca bāṇaiḥ tasya hayān jaghāna, punar hasann iva anekair bāṇaiḥ subalaputrasya dhanuś ca ṭūk-ṭūkam acchinat.
Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, after regaining his composure, the unassailable hero Sahadeva—almost as if smiling—pierced Śakuni with ten arrows. With three more arrows he slew Śakuni’s horses, and then, still as if smiling, he shattered the bow of Subala’s son into pieces with a shower of shafts. The scene underscores disciplined prowess: calm recovery, measured force, and the tactical disabling of an opponent’s mobility and weapon.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined warrior conduct: after being shaken, one should regain composure (svastha/pratyāśvasya) and act with precise, proportionate force—first wounding the foe, then disabling mobility (horses), and finally neutralizing the weapon (bow). It presents steadiness and tactical restraint as part of kṣatriya-dharma in battle.
Sañjaya describes Sahadeva recovering his steadiness and then attacking Śakuni: he pierces Śakuni with ten arrows, kills his horses with three arrows, and breaks Śakuni’s bow into pieces with many arrows, doing so ‘as if smiling,’ indicating confidence and dominance in the exchange.