Shloka 9
Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya
Book 8, Chapter 22
तमापतन्तं विशिखं यमदण्डोपमत्विषम् | खड्गेन शितधारेण द्विधा चिच्छेद कौरव:,यमदण्डके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाले उस बाणको आते देख कुरुवंशी दुःशासनने तीखी धारवाले खड्गसे उसके दो टुकड़े कर डाले
tam āpatantaṁ viśikhaṁ yamadaṇḍopamatviṣam | khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa dvidhā ciccheda kauravaḥ ||
サञ्जयは語った。ヤマの懲罰の杖にも似て赫々と燃え、己に向かって落ち来る矢を見て、カウラヴァ（ドゥフシャーサナ）は鋭利な剣をもってそれを二つに断ち割った。この場面は戦場の技の冷厳な精確さを示す――殺意は思案ではなく瞬時の反撃に迎えられ、死の道具は恐れるべきものではなく制御すべきものとして扱われるのである。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic where presence of mind and mastery over weapons determine survival; death is portrayed as imminent (Yama’s rod), yet the warrior responds with disciplined skill rather than panic—showing how martial competence can momentarily check fate’s approach.
An arrow, described as blazing like Yama’s punitive staff, flies toward the Kaurava warrior Duḥśāsana. He intercepts it and slices it into two pieces with a sharp sword.